Barn Swallows in flight at Mount Moreland

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At Last! Barn Swallows arriving at Mount Moreland

In view of our South African barn swallows seeming to arrive a little late the comment from Blackawton, Devon, UK I received from friends is somewhat contradictory. Maybe they dallied on their way knowing about our drought which seemed to affect a large area of the country and would, of course, have affected the insect food.

Marion Pratt reports on the English swallow season:-

Here is this year's data on the birds.

18th April House martins start arriving all here about a week later.

21st April Swallows arrive

13th May Swifts arrive

End August Swifts left

1st week Sept swallows left

Mid Sept majority House Martins left. We still have a few late leavers. There is one pair in the village with unfledged chicks in the nest. This is very unusual.

The birds arrived a little late this year and most have left earlier than usual.

For Mt Moreland our previous date for arrival has been 20 September but this year they were decidedly late. Interestingly having now had a little rain here, in Mt Moreland, last week and now again, yesterday and today, the swallows are finally beginning to appear in increasing numbers. Quite a few flitting in the grey skies last night - 4 October. It is looking hopeful for the end of October swallow numbers become watchable and our swallow season begins in earnest. .

NB: We have to add that we do not know where the English flocks go to in South Africa so far in Mt Moreland we have recaptures leading us to Finland and Ukraine. It will be interesting to see if we a lucky enough to again net ringed swallows and find out their country origin.