Sunday 26 April 2009

You could not look out the window today or go outside without the sound of swifts or see them circling and enjoying the freedom of the sky. In other words, they were stuffing themselves with all those insects which were kept low because of all the clouds.
Heavily overcast I did not think there will be many swifts around, but there were!
On the lists there were two posts of persons in Leuven who saw groups of up to 50 circling above the city. I feel sorry for the people who have not seen them yet and count myself lucky that I live where they are early and abundant already.
Just before 7:00 pm I left and cycled to Phillips site, but above my garden there were more in the sky than above Phillips. So I checked out the street where LP lives and there I counted up to 12 swifts in the sky. Going into town I saw about 20 to 30 above Tiense Poort. I have always heard and seen that huge numbers gather there. This group can consist of the swifts from above LP's house as well.
Above Herbert Hoover square there were again a large group, but not more than 30. A slight drizzle started and I did not spent much time at Apus College, but did see on the Deberiot side one fly into nesting hole B8 and one into B9 at 7:25 pm.
So far I have seen one fly up to a nest and I have seen two go into nests, of which one did that twice.
Then I came home and above the garages next to the prison there were a large group still flying in the soft drizzle that was falling.
For a while I stood outside, hoping to see mine fly in. Wishful thinking maybe?