Take a look at this wonderful sight that happens on my doorstep every night from October to April. They are millions (no exageration the picture does no justice) of Barn Swallows that roost in the reed bed below my house. They are migratory birds and return to European shores towards the begining of April. Its a phenomenon not often seen.
Very nice! Where is this? South Africa, I'll guess?
They will be returning here to breed in about 3-4 weeks from now.
Resin
Yes, South Africa was a good guess. Small village in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. They really get more and more noisy as the time gets closer for them to return to your neck of the woods. Woke me at the crack of dawn today. There is a monitoring system (radar) watching them at the moment, the result of which are going to be used to determine the impact from the proposed new airport. Will keep you posted. Listened to a lecture from an expert recently who told me the winter grounds of the Barn Swallow (our summer) are just as important for their future breeding session, so keeping this site secure is essential. Will keep you updated.
I was wondering if it would be the site where that new airport is proposed, it has received a fair bit of attention in the birding press up here . . . here's to hoping they don't build. If nothing else, a few hundred swallows getting sucked into a jet engine would do an awful lot of damage, so common sense alone dictates that they shouldn't put an airport right next to a major roost.
Resin
Yes you're correct. The proposed new airport is a government driven initiative and that makes it almost impossible to stop - you know the same old same old - money - greed - nepotisim - the whole nine yards. We do our best to get them to mitigate. The Lake Victoria Conservancy has made huge steps to get this sight noticed locally and internationally. We get up to 100 people visiting the site every evening depending on the weather. It only lasts till sun-set so its a great way to get out and have a sun-downer - beautiful setting.
How I hope this wonderful phenomenon doesn't lose out to an airport of all things. Makes one shake their head in dismay.
Does anyone have a closeup picture of these "Barn Swallows" to post? It seems to be an entirely different bird than the "Barn Swallows" found in America.
Does anyone have a closeup picture of these "Barn Swallows" to post? It seems to be an entirely different bird than the "Barn Swallows" found in America
Thanks Resin:
They do look very similar, in the better pictures, on the links you posted. There was always one nest, in the barn, when I was a child. They were the first bird I could identify.
