The next course
Sand Martins over the Eden.
Again, my impression is that there’s fewer of these at this location. First noted these here over the town stretch of the Eden a long time past, maybe around 2009/10when using the old 7D mk1, with a chastening complete lack of success. But the birds were - or now, years later, are remembered as almost thick in the air. Which seems an exaggeration now. But since bird flu and other influencing factors seem to be forever pointing to all four of our Swift/Swallow/Martin species as getting ever more scarce, it seems likely that this is indeed the case. Possibly our wild shifts in weather would seem to be another factor here, as these birds are entirely dependent on flying insects to keep both themselves and their nestlings alive. Insects are less likely to take to flight if winds are likely to blow them to where breeding cannot happen, or when significant rainfall keeps them clinging to leaves and twigs. At such periods these birds can be seen conserving energy by perching in rows until the rain relents, allowing those vital insects to fly to hunting levels for these four species - and others.
The next course
Sand Martins over the Eden.
Again, my impression is that there’s fewer of these at this location. First noted these here over the town stretch of the Eden a long time past, maybe around 2009/10when using the old 7D mk1, with a chastening complete lack of success. But the birds were - or now, years later, are remembered as almost thick in the air. Which seems an exaggeration now. But since bird flu and other influencing factors seem to be forever pointing to all four of our Swift/Swallow/Martin species as getting ever more scarce, it seems likely that this is indeed the case. Possibly our wild shifts in weather would seem to be another factor here, as these birds are entirely dependent on flying insects to keep both themselves and their nestlings alive. Insects are less likely to take to flight if winds are likely to blow them to where breeding cannot happen, or when significant rainfall keeps them clinging to leaves and twigs. At such periods these birds can be seen conserving energy by perching in rows until the rain relents, allowing those vital insects to fly to hunting levels for these four species - and others.