Spent a lot of time in the garden today and it felt like summer. Almost warm and three swifts screaming round the house for a couple of hours. They were a little late up this morning leaving about 10.30. I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable about the single swift in the chimney nest who has been waiting at least 10 days for its mate. I took a clip of the pair in the bedroom nest having a wander then was just about to take a clip of the Singleton when while watching another swift arrived. The new swift was ignored for a while then they settled down together so I am sure it’s not an intruder.

The pair in the bedroom nest having a wander

The second swift arriving in the chimney nest

Finally the chimney nest pair together

Not much to add today. I was up early for me but by 7.30 all three swifts were out. I returned home about 2pm and was welcomed by 3 swifts screaming round the house. For a swift lover there is nothing like screaming swifts soaring round ones house. The first almost warm day for weeks. They were making the most of it. Busy this afternoon but at 9pm all three on their respective nests.

Lovely news today. First thing they had already left the nest. We were out this morning but a quick check at 1.30pm found a pair of swifts in the chimney nest obviously comfortable with each other. We now have a pair on both nests with cameras. I will try to see if we have any more but it involves sitting outside at a time when they are flying around the house. As it’s still cold I believe they are still flying off to find food.

A short clip of the pair in the chimney nest.

I was wrong. I just quickly looked at the cam view above ant thought I saw 4 wings. What I saw was 2 pairs of wing feathers. The poor swift is spending most of his or her time at “home” building and tidying the nest.

An extra clip of the other two exploring the nest site.

Much better day weather wise today. Still a little cold but no rain and cloudless sky’s this afternoon. All three swifts were in the nest still first thing but went out almost together at about 10am. All three arrived back at 5pm and have stayed in since then.

Only one clip tonight. The single first arrived in the chimney nest stood in front of the camera for a while. Sorry too close for focus but a nice view of the whole bird.

Very wet and windy today. More swift sightings locally today. Much calmer,drier and warmer weather forecast for the weekend so I expect the flood of returnees later in the week. Still the lone swift in the chimney nest. He went out for an hour this afternoon in between heavy rain. The pair have spent the whole day snuggled up together in the bedroom nest. If you have been flying non stop for 9 months and not seen your partner for the same length of time what else would you do?

Very short clips from both nests. Nothing else to see all day.

I was so lucky today. Spent a lot of time watching the cameras and wondering what to add tonight then at about 6.30pm the second swift arrived at the bedroom nest. The first clip was about 20 seconds after it arrived for the first time. Obvious delight at the meeting and lots of chirping, sorry no sound on video. The other 2 clips were taken over the next 45 mins.

Last year it was the 14th when the second one arrived.

Watching, at the same time as line of duty and saw no more than I reported yesterday. More nest material gathering from the one returnee in the chimney nest. At 9am saw the first swift in the bedroom nest. He or she stayed about 1/2 hour then left. There is some speculation that as it is still so cold here some may have skipped back over the channel were it is a bit warmer. Thousands reported in mid France yesterday.

A short clip of the second arrival this year.

It’s now 6pm. After some excruciating contortions squeezing between header tanks multiple pipes and trying not to put my foot through the bedroom ceiling I managed to move the chimney nest camera so I can now see into the nest. Also tried some WD40 on the moving parts of the camera as it’s not always moving when I want. At least the nest view is as good as I can get. The camera is a bit too close for sharp focus but there is no room to move it further away.

Short clip showing our first returnee in the nest.

Still just the one early arrival. The Bristol house is in a similar situation with only a few arrivals. I have only seen the one flying.

The arrival is spending some time tidying up the nest. A short clip showing it collecting nesting material from out attic. It’s full of hay and straw from numerous house sparrow and starling nests over at least 300 years.

Cold north wind today but sunny most of the day. Still just the one swift as far as I can see. Thought in the sunshine we way have more but not today. A couple more clips of our so far lone swift.

Not much to add today. No flying swifts seen. Now I have a stiff neck. The single arrival was out by 7.30 this morning and returned about 5.50pm. There is an informative Bristol swift blog. He has nest boxes round his house most with cameras. He is expecting about 20 pairs and has only 6 arrivals to date. That is about the same percentage as here. Yesterday there were over 1000 over a lake near Bristol and about 30 over Slapton Lea. As it’s so cold there are not many flies in the air but with water temperatures increasing more flies are over inland water. Last year we had 3 nests in the attic one of which was inaccessible so could only comment on the two nests with cameras. There were however more than 6 flying round the house so I am hoping some were too young to breed and were casing the joint for nest sites for this year. Will just have to wait and see.

A clip from our first arrival this evening.