Friday 15 April 2016

House Martins - Running Late

I am beginning to appreciate just how valuable the notes are that I have made over the last 5 years, and this was really brought home today with the return of a pair of House Martins.

All week I have been looking out and listening for them, as I knew they were due back any day now. And today was the day. As soon as I got up this morning I heard them, and sure enough, there they were circling the house and already investigating last year's nest.


But they were late! I looked back on the last few years records I have kept, and realised just how predicable they have been in the past.

2013 - arrived back 14th April
2014 - arrived back 14th April
2015 - arrived back 14th April
2016 - arrived back 15th April

I like to think though that they arrived back just before midnight last night, and stuck to their 14th April plan.

One of last year's broods

5 comments:

  1. Birds really are amazing aren't they Findlay.
    I'm sure they turned up last night.

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  2. I have a pair of Oystercatchers that return to the same site every February 20th. Birds are very peculiar at times

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  3. Did they know about the extra day this leap year ?

    peter

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  4. That's an amazing record Findlay, we rely on an atomic clock to keep us on time...nature just gets on with it...[;o)

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  5. A perfect example of why patch watching and good records are so important! Regular as clockwork!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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