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| Taken from http://www.birdinfo.co.za/ |
While you are all on holidays I would like you to watch out for a very interesting bird which visits Ireland in the summer. This bird is called the Common Swift and you can see his picture on some Dublin buses. Swifts are the most aerial birds. They live entirely on flying insects and their legs are so short that, if thy land on the ground, they cannot get into the air again.The only time they land is to build a nest, usually under the roof of older buildings.The young Swifts that are just about ready to fly now will not touch the ground again until they make their first nest in two years time. They can sleep in the air by flying very high and drifting about. Swifts look black and scream as they fly chasing eachother. You will see them in the town centre. Early in August they all leave Ireland for Africa and will not be here again until next May.
Good birdwatching,
Dermot.
The swift is a lovely noticeable,high spirited,migrative bird.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to watch them in the warm weather.
I have learned lots about this bird.
Swifts wheel about the sky,gliding over water pools.
I have not seen the swift on dublin buses yet.
They often chase the swallow,skylark and house martin.
I love the swift.
Did you know that the Black Headed Gull is migrative too?
As Autumn is approaching you can see less of this bird's population.
They are unlike the Herring Gulls who shall never leave us.The photograph provided in the post above is a lovely close-up of the swift.
If you ever find a swift on the ground thrust it far back into air or it will never fly again.To drink all migrative birds(not the black headed gull),skim across rivers not landing-flying!!!
I keep watching the swifts and they never come out when weather is not very pleasant.
I hope Swifty-weather will come soon again before they leave on their journey.
Best Birdwatching,
Hannah K