Corona Wildlife Diary: Day Sixty.
This weekend's Back Garden Bird Race will be tomorrow, Sunday 17 May (10-11).
All the information, rules, I.D guides and downloadable phone app is on the Bird Race website here.
You can leave your results in the comments section below this diary, on the Facebook page or in the phone app.
And, because people have been asking, you can now buy exclusive Back Garden Bird Race t-shirts (here)
Day Sixty
The only thing I'm certain of is that these are uncertain times. Who knows where we're heading? But during last weekend’s Bird Race it was reassuring for many people see that the Swifts were back in from Africa. Poet Ted Hughes expressed it perfectly:
“They’ve made it again / Which means the globe’s still working, the Creation’s / Still waking refreshed, our summer’s / Still all to come”.
(read the full poem here).
While globally humans may be struggling the actually globe itself appears to be taking a bit of a breather. I'm forever reading articles about the drop in pollution levels across the world during lockdown. I wonder if the Swifts and other birds have felt a difference in the air quality on their migration or have even noticed that they now have the skies to themselves?
The Common Swift (or the 'Black Boomerang' as my friend Georgie calls them) Photo by Mark Kilner
There’s something about Swifts that makes me think of American 50’s B-movies. You know the film – motorcycle gangs, all chrome, leather and attitude, terrorising small town America. Our own Wild Ones scream into town each May and will be turning heads skywards for the next few months. They've had a non-stop, long haul flight from Africa; not that this trip bothered them. Swifts are all about flying.
They may not look like much (they’re basically two wings and a mouth) but it’s hard to explain their abilities without making them sound supernatural. They feed in the air, they bathe in the rainclouds and, yes madam, they even do that while they’re up there too.
At night they switch off half their brain, switch on cruise control and fall asleep amongst the stars. If they had their way they would never come down. But there’s one little flaw in their plan: eggs don’t float. So, for just a few weeks of the year, they begrudgingly swap the open skies for a cramped nest under the eaves where they raise their young. The problem is in recent years most of these little gaps in the eaves have been lost to our renovations and modern architecture. The destruction of their homes is one of the reasons why Swift numbers have fallen leaving them refugees on the wind.
Photo by Derek Middleton
Young Swifts, born in a roof cavity, crawl to the nest entrance and bravely launched themselves on their first flights. And, man! What a first flight! They may not land again for two or three years! For these ‘teenage’ Swifts the skies of Europe and Africa will be their playground – nothing will tame them. Well, not until they meet a partner and decide to settle down in a roof of their own somewhere.
Photo by Derek Middleton
But don’t let this comfortable image of domestic bliss fool you- there’s no taming these rebels. On warm, summer evenings they will slip away to join other local Swifts and form ‘screaming parties’ – gangs of them acrobatically blazing across the Sussex skyline – the novelty of being airborne never seems to wear off. The Swift seems to take pure, unadulterated pleasure in flying. Other birds fly out of necessity but Swifts seem to fly for the hell of it, screaming with delight at the top of their little Swift lungs, a shrill cry that is forever associated with English summers and earned them the name ‘Devil Birds’.
A Swift survey in 2020 is hoping to help us understand more about where Swifts are nesting. If you know of nesting Swifts in your area please enter the information here.
Folk in Lewes can help their local Swifts by helping the Lewes Swift Supporters. Their Facebook page is here
Comments
Oh I love Ted Hughes poems! Thank you for telling me about swifts! I think they look quite dramatic. I ordered my Bird Race t-shirt!!! So excited! Hope they will plant a tree too in Madagascar. 🌳
16 May 2020 12:18:00
We’ve recorded 5 nests at a home in Western Road and 5 at St. Anne’s Church, Lewes, (Lewes Swift Supporters). We’ve started Lewes Swift Watch via our Facebook group and members have reported an active nest in Grange Road and another behind the High Street. Anyone based in Lewes is welcome to join our group!
16 May 2020 14:08:00
18 today.
The Peregrine that flew around for a good part of the hour scared everything else into submission, except the Buzzard.
Goldfinch, Robin, Dunnock, Starling, Magpie, Stock Dove, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Herring Gull, Buzzard, Peregrine, Skylark, Blackbird, Collared Dove, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Swift.
17 May 2020 10:09:00
19
Began dramatically with a Red Kite coasting lazily over, its peace suddenly disturbed by a raven hassling it. Still dominated by Siskins, many of them young ones and a treat to watch one fed.
Red Kite
Raven
Collared Dove
Robin
Greater spotted woodpecker
Sparrow
Coaltit
Siskin
Goldfinch
Wood pigeon
Jay
Magpie
Swallow
Wren
Buzzard
Chaffinch
Nuthatch
Blackbird
Bluetit
17 May 2020 10:10:00
Garden Bird Race: starling, great tit, blackbird, great spotted woodpecker, goldfinch, blue tit, siskin, carrion crow, dunnock, feral pigeon, wood pigeon, robin, nuthatch, greenfinch
17 May 2020 10:13:00
Fairly quiet & chilly in our Steyning garden this morning, everything getting down to breeding now, with juv. Dunnock, House Sparrow, & Robin being fed by parents in garden.
House Sparrow.
Dunnock
Coal Tit
Carrion Crow
Starling
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Jackdaw
Herring Gull
Magpie
Swallow
Wren
Buzzard
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Swift
Robin
Red Kite
Chaffinch (heard only)
20 species.
17 May 2020 10:15:00
Chris Brown. Brighton garden. 21 species. Bird of the race was a female Peregrine low over the gardens.
1. Starling
2. Robin
3. House Sparrow
4. Herring Gull
5. Collared Dove
6. Great Tit
7. Wood pigeon
8. Coal Tit
9. Dunnock
10. Jackdaw
11. Blackbird
12. Blue Tit
13. Magpie
14. Feral Pigeon
15. Goldfinch
16. Carrion Crow
17. Swift
18. Swallow
19. Peregrine
20. Sparrowhawk
21. Wren
17 May 2020 10:20:00
Back Garden Bird Race from Offington ,Worthing :
Herring Gull
Wood Pidgeon
Blackbird
Greenfinch
Robin
Dunnock
Starling
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Jackdaw
Blue Tit
Magpie
Feral Pidgeon
Carrion Crow
Swift
Rook
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Collard Dove
Sparrow Hawk
Swallow
House Sparrow
21 in total , two down from last week.
17 May 2020 10:22:00
Walberton -a bit breezy here and much quieter bird-wise. 5 down on last week. 18 in total; lovely to see a goldfinch feeding its young in a tree. Unfortunately the wren flew in 5 minutes too late!
woodpigeon
blackbird
goldfinch
crow
house sparrow
robin
starling
rook
magpie
swift (3 sightings)
buzzard
herring gull
jackdaw
collared dove
chaffinch
blue tit
dunnock (heard)
greenfinch
17 May 2020 10:27:00
Hi Michael, A beautiful calm morning here in Barcombe but with high cloud spreading in from the west and the breeze increasing. A very slow start to the hour but eventually clocked up 25 species (3 of these heard only):
Collared Dove
Song Thrush
Woodpigeon
Blackbird
Jackdaw
Goldfinch (6)
Robin (heard only)
House Sparrow
Linnet (2)
Starling
Rook
Crow
Blue Tit
Cuckoo (heard only)
Greenfinch
Dunnock
Pied Wagtail
Herring Gull
Buzzard (6)
Great Tit
House Martin
Chaffinch (heard only)
Hobby (1 flew NW at 1010)
Swift (2)
Bullfinch
Species totals are fairly consistent with previous weeks: 24, 22, 25, 26, 23 and 27. Goodness – 7 weeks of these watches now!
Regards, Simon
17 May 2020 10:31:00
22 today in Icklesham:
starling
jackdaw
blue tit (feeding young in our nest box)
goldfinch
house sparrow
carrion crow
swallow
blackbird
black headed gull
collared dove
wood pigeon
robin
greenfinch
swift
buzzard
herring gull
song thrush (heard)
chaffinch (heard)
wren (heard)
great tit (heard)
blackcap (heard)
skylark (heard)
Assisted by my 6 year old son who saw 16 species (his new personal best) including his first ever greenfinches and swifts!
17 May 2020 10:32:00
18 species. Heathfield. A Coal Tit was 10 minutes late for the party.
Starling, Wren, House Sparrow, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Blackbird, Jackdaw, Dunnock, Robin, Rook, Swift, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Collared Dove, Buzzard, Blue Tit.
17 May 2020 10:33:00
Only 9 today, all obs: robin, wood & feral pigeons, carion crow, magpie, starling, ring-necked parakeet, house sparrow, 3 swifts)as main birder AWOL but I was delighted to ‘get’ the Swifts high up, all without having them pointed out first!
17 May 2020 10:33:00
Countryside near Crowborough
Jackdaw
Wood Pigeon
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Pheasant
Great Tit
Blackbird
Robin
Blue Tit
Stock Dove
Buzzard
Goldfinch
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Chaffinch
Green Woodpecker – beautiful plumage especially when seen from above!
Pied Wagtail
Jay
Wren
18 species
Thank you Michael
17 May 2020 10:36:00
Hit the dizzy heights of 23 today in Rye, best yet: Kestrel, Oystercatcher (heard), Black-headed Gull, Herring Gull, Woodpigeon, Feral Pigeon, Stock Dove, Collared Dove, Swallow, House Martin, Wren, Dunnock, Robin (juvenile), Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Magpie, Rook, Jackdaw, Starling, House Sparrow, Greenfinch, Chaffinch. No Buzzard, Swift, Song Thrush, Chiffchaff or Goldfinch.
17 May 2020 10:36:00
Bird Race: Magpie, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Wren, Herring Gull, Jay, Bluetit, Buzzard, Garden Warbler, Greenfinch, Blackcap. Total 17 from Hellingly BN27
17 May 2020 10:38:00
Bird Race: Jackdaw, Magpie, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, Pheasant, Robin, Blackbird, Wren, Goldcrest, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Garden Warbler, Jay, Goldfinch, Wood Pigeon, Crow. Total 15 at Brightling TN32
17 May 2020 10:53:00
Best yet from garden in Mannings Heath. 20 species. But no hirundines today or any other day. The list is blue tit, great tit, coal tit, robin, dunnock, wren, nuthatch, chaffinch, blackbird, wood pigeon, jackdaw, carrion crow, rook, magpie, canada goose, buzzard and great spotted woodpecker and heard but not seen blackcap, song thrush, and pheasant.
17 May 2020 10:57:00
As usual, at 10.00 all the birds had vanished. Didn’t even see a robin or blackbird and I never thought the day would come when I wanted to see/hear a woodpigeon. However we do now have a visiting jay that graced us with its presence this morning. Total of 13:
Collared Dove, Jackdaw, Starling, Herring Gull, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Jay, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, Chaffinch.
17 May 2020 10:58:00
Woodmancote. Sunday17 records
Wood pigeon
Swallow
House Martins
Mallard
Blue tit
Crow
Jackdaw
Pied Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Blackbird
Starling
Goldfinch
Magpie
Long tailed Tit
Greenfinch
Robin
Total 17
Blue tits nesting in same tree as G S Woodpecker
17 May 2020 11:01:00
Bird Race 17 May 2020 10 -
28 species seen or heard from my garden overlooking the Rother just North of Rye;
Rook,Robin, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Starling, Pheasant, Blackbird, Chaffinch, Swallow, Woodpigeon, Black-h Gull, Song tThrush, Mallard,, Herring Gull, Shelduck, Little Egret, Mute Swan, Stockdove, Magpie, Tree creeper, Jackdaw, Wren, Chiff-chaff, Buzzard, Cormorant, Whitethroat, Swift, Carrion Crow
17 May 2020 11:18:00
20 today plus a gull and waterfowl flying overhead which I couldn’t identify. Blackbird, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chiffchaff, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Nuthatch, Rook, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Whitethroat, Woodpigeon, Wren. I can’t believe I never noticed the Chiffchaffs and Whitethroats until doing the SWT Beginners Birdwatching course last year, such great preparation for lockdown. Thanks again Michael for doing this and your great blog, I am learning so much from it.
17 May 2020 11:29:00
Maybe the easing of lockdown restricions persuaded some species to take their daily exercise away from my garden here in Mountfield (TQ743202) – only 15 spp today (21 last week). Cast in order of appearance :- House Sparrow, Robin, Starling, Blackbird (including parents feeding a brood in a nest a few feet from my seat), Blue Tit, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Jackdaw, Collared Dove, Buzzard, Wood Pigeon, Wren, Great Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Black-headed Gull.
17 May 2020 11:32:00
Woodmancote. Sunday17 records
Wood pigeon
Swallow
House Martins
Mallard
Blue tit
Crow
Jackdaw
Pied Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Blackbird
Starling
Goldfinch
Magpie
Long tailed Tit
Greenfinch
Robin
Total 17
Blue tits nesting in same tree as G S Woodpecker
18 May 2020 08:13:00
Woodmancote. Sunday17 records
Wood pigeon
Swallow
House Martins
Mallard
Blue tit
Crow
Jackdaw
Pied Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Blackbird
Starling
Goldfinch
Magpie
Long tailed Tit
Greenfinch
Robin
Total 17
Blue tits nesting in same tree as G S Woodpecker
18 May 2020 17:04:00
Woodmancote. Sunday17 records
Wood pigeon
Swallow
House Martins
Mallard
Blue tit
Crow
Jackdaw
Pied Wagtail
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Great Tit
Blackbird
Starling
Goldfinch
Magpie
Long tailed Tit
Greenfinch
Robin
Total 17
Blue tits nesting in same tree as G S Woodpecker
21 May 2020 06:10:00