Tuesday, November 19, 2013

One Swallow doesn't make a summer...

So the saying goes.

Not in November anyway. This morning I was out with Bunts in the early light, as the mercury stayed rigid at -1 when a flickery winged bird came low towards me over our roof. At first glance I thought it was just a Starling leaving roost, until it got a bit closer but no bigger, when I thought...no, surely not...a hirundine!

It skimmed right over head, a first winter Swallow. Very late here and it needs to get cracking if it is to find food in this weather.

I am trying to dispel the niggling image I have of a thick, black, stuck on tail...?

As what is surely the last Swallow sighting of 2013 a 'first' was lying in wait. By 10am the snow was falling very hard indeed. The first of winter. Bang on time.


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good late record, Stewart. My latest ever hirundine was a House Martin on 4th November, quite some years back.

Lou Mary said...

Crikey I do hope the little thing gets a move on! Maybe I shall see it as it passes through Kent!

Steve Gale said...

Yes Stewart, this late and you can half hope that it would have been a Red-rumped!

Stewart said...

Cheers All...