Swallow Mission

6^th April. Checking my records today I noticed I’d had my dates wrong in my mind as to the first Swallow seen on patch last year. I’d actually found them on 7^th April and not 4^th as I’d mentioned in a previous post. I had found two Swallows flying over the lake on 6^th April 2010, so I couldn’t resist taking a look today even if it meant getting wet!

I walked up to the wagon-way, as I know Swallows nest in the buildings near the farm. First of all I took a diversion across the road and onto the open farmland which I thought would give me a better opportunity. I found numbers of Skylark and Meadow Pipits, but there was no sign what so ever of Swallows. The diversion did bring me a new patch tick in the form of two Red-legged Partridges which flew up in front of me. I’ve often found Grey Partridges, on patch but this is the first I’ve seen of Red-legged Partridge. I found that there is still quite a bit of snow in the area of the Cheviots.

I retraced a few of my steps and headed to the farm. There was no sign of Swallows here. I decided to walk back and take a look at the lake area. By now the rain was quite heavy. I found some early flowering Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata in the hedge and flowering Comfrey in the usual area, I’ve never decided exactly which species of Comfrey this is but I think it’s Russian Comfrey Symphytum x uplandicum. This plant used to be used for cattle fodder and it still grows on what was once farmland and is now bordering a housing estate.

By now I was not holding out any real hope of finding Swallows. As I walked past the church grounds I slowed to listen to the bird song. I heard one of several singing Song Thrushes here. Luckily I had slowed down because it was here I found my one and only Swallow flying briefly overhead. So as in 2010 I find my first on patch Swallow, first for the year as it happens, on 6^th April.

I found some interesting nesting activity taking place at the lake, but no more Swallows. The Coot’s nest on the open water has appeared again. The water has dropped a little but not that much so I think the Coot has been busy rebuilding. I decided to get out of the rain and head for home to watch the match.