So far so good. If I must believe the yahoo lists, I'm very fortunate, some persons have not yet seen anything while I can claim to have seen them almost every day.
21 April, I went back to Apus College and saw 7 and finally one flew into a nest. Not a nestbox, but where the roof and wall meets. The building is old and has lots of secret places for swifts to nest. This swift I have seen before as one of the early arrivals. First time I saw it I was not sure I really saw it and when I went back the next day, I kept watching that place and indeed it flew into it. Early bird!
The same evening I saw another swift flew into a nestbox at 71 Plein street.
Already 2 coming home!
24 April, I heard them for the first time while working in the garden!
25 April I stood out in the street before my house and saw 2, then 5 and then another 2.
30 April, while planting flowers I bought earlier, I heard them above me and when I went outside - unfortunately to see my boxes I must stand outside in the street - I saw straight away numerous swifts flying. They were not high, not drifting off to a distant destination, they were in the area known to them. The weather was much warmer and not windy, just right for them to play in the sky above home territory.
At about 20:35 I saw one flew in at 10 Rega street. It needed a second time round to find the right angle.
1 May the weather was not so pleasant as the day before, a rather cold wind was blowing through the street. Even on beautiful days there can be a cold draft, you only get to know all these inconvenientcies when you've stood long enough waiting and watching swifts.
Mine are not back yet.
Monday, 2 May 2011
Thursday, 21 April 2011
The 2011 season is open!
The anticipation is over, they are back!
Lately the mailing lists were buzzing with the first sightings of the Common Swifts returning. I admit to being a bit jealous when all around me sightings of swifts appear, you almost feel blind.
Monday at dusk I went to the Abbey. There are wide open fields and the noise of the city is much less, so it's a great area to spot birds. Nada!
Yesterday I stayed at home and for sure LP saw his first swift/s, so I had to go out tonight.
The best place is still the Pope's College, where the biggest colony for Leuven is situated, so there I went tonight. Pope's College
The best time to go look for them is just before dusk. A swift needs to see where its nesthole is located. It is not always the best visible spot on a wall.
I arrived at Apus College at 20:00 and decided to stay till 20:45. My expectation was that I won't see anything, then 45 min is a long time, but that's what I usually spent in watching a suspected nestsite.
At 20:20 I had a flash sighting. It was such a quick sighting, I could just make out that it was a swift before it disappeared behind a tree and even though I moved round I could not see it. 5 Mins later I saw another or the same swift. Now it was gliding through the air, a great sighting! I have seen my first swift of the 2011 season.
The Pope's College which is not a college but a dorm for male students, has a big courtyard where the most swiftnests are. Usually I stand on the side of Deberiot street. There are also a number of nests. Standing here I saw my first swift tonight and shortly after it has left I saw 4 more swifts.
To keep watching them I switched to the courtyard where I eventually lost track of them. With the idea that the evening went quite well, I walked back to Deberiot street side where my bicycle was. Just before I reached my bicycle I noticed two more!
It was getting better and better.
Being on the outside of the college I watched them circle above it. They came lower and lower and then went down like an arrow, first the one and soon afterwards, the other. I can swear they went down to their nests.
Tomorrow I'll take up position in the courtyard!
Lately the mailing lists were buzzing with the first sightings of the Common Swifts returning. I admit to being a bit jealous when all around me sightings of swifts appear, you almost feel blind.
Monday at dusk I went to the Abbey. There are wide open fields and the noise of the city is much less, so it's a great area to spot birds. Nada!
Yesterday I stayed at home and for sure LP saw his first swift/s, so I had to go out tonight.
The best place is still the Pope's College, where the biggest colony for Leuven is situated, so there I went tonight. Pope's College
The best time to go look for them is just before dusk. A swift needs to see where its nesthole is located. It is not always the best visible spot on a wall.
I arrived at Apus College at 20:00 and decided to stay till 20:45. My expectation was that I won't see anything, then 45 min is a long time, but that's what I usually spent in watching a suspected nestsite.
At 20:20 I had a flash sighting. It was such a quick sighting, I could just make out that it was a swift before it disappeared behind a tree and even though I moved round I could not see it. 5 Mins later I saw another or the same swift. Now it was gliding through the air, a great sighting! I have seen my first swift of the 2011 season.
The Pope's College which is not a college but a dorm for male students, has a big courtyard where the most swiftnests are. Usually I stand on the side of Deberiot street. There are also a number of nests. Standing here I saw my first swift tonight and shortly after it has left I saw 4 more swifts.
To keep watching them I switched to the courtyard where I eventually lost track of them. With the idea that the evening went quite well, I walked back to Deberiot street side where my bicycle was. Just before I reached my bicycle I noticed two more!
It was getting better and better.
Being on the outside of the college I watched them circle above it. They came lower and lower and then went down like an arrow, first the one and soon afterwards, the other. I can swear they went down to their nests.
Tomorrow I'll take up position in the courtyard!
Monday, 28 March 2011
Barn swallow
Today I saw my first Barn swallow for this season at Abdij van Park, it was flying over. Unfortunately I don't know my south from my north and can't say in which direction it was flying. From where I stood it flew into the sun!
Friday, 7 May 2010
The season of the Devil birds started for 2010
The days before the first Swifts arrive are always a frantic thing. All around me other persons have seen them, but on 19 April I got a phone call from Louis-Philippe while I was on my way from the Abbey to Apus College, the places where I check and the places where the first are often seen.
Specially Apus College with it’s 30+ nests is a lovely place to see them fly into nests. It’s open there and there are many nests.
He saw two fly over Apus College and while we stood talking I saw one fly with a swoop around a tree and disappear. It happened so fast I was not sure whether I saw it or not, but LP saw it a few days later and saw it enter a nesthole, so I was right.
The next day I went back, but stood on the side Deberiot street and I saw one Swift come flying in, made a grand circle and fly into nesthole B4. Another one disappeared into the inner court of the Pope’s College to a possible nest there.
On 22 April I saw 9 flying over, all in the same direction, still on their migrating route.
From earlier experiences I left the Swifts to fly to their nesting grounds the next few days, because I know it’s futile to try and find nests now, it’s too early.
Sunday 2 May I was one fly into a nesthole known to me on Geldenaaksevest 72 on the far right under the eaves.
Sunday was not such a good day and it was quite cold still, but I decided to go outside and see if there is any movement near my nestboxes.
When I went outside my attention was captured by very dark clouds in the distance with a group of swifts flying in front of it. Suddenly a very loud shrieking and noise made me look up at my own nestboxes.
There was a Great Tit hanging out of nestbox 1 making a terrible sound. I realized that a Swift has returned and kicked it out.
I never noticed that there were Great Tits in the nestboxes, because I didn’t look at the nestboxes until now. The poor Tit was sorrowfully shrieking while jumping and flying bewildered from roof to roof.
My Swift was back!
4 May. It was dreadfully cold outside, there was a slight wind which added to the cold. I found a truck to hide behind and be out of the wind. Later I looked and it was 9°C.
From 20:00 till 20:45 I was watching the nestboxes and I saw movement in 1 and 2 of Swifts and Great Tits in 3. Actually I went inside when Agnieszka found a little bird on the sidewalk. The german lady who walks her dog every night and shows a lot of interest in the Swifts were talking to me, so I did not watch very closely then.
It must be a baby Great Tit thrown out of the nestbox by a Swift!
On 5 May another two baby Great Tits were thrown out of the nest and the tragedy went on to Thursday 6 May when another two followed. It’s truly very sad to see this.
What a waste.
Specially Apus College with it’s 30+ nests is a lovely place to see them fly into nests. It’s open there and there are many nests.
He saw two fly over Apus College and while we stood talking I saw one fly with a swoop around a tree and disappear. It happened so fast I was not sure whether I saw it or not, but LP saw it a few days later and saw it enter a nesthole, so I was right.
The next day I went back, but stood on the side Deberiot street and I saw one Swift come flying in, made a grand circle and fly into nesthole B4. Another one disappeared into the inner court of the Pope’s College to a possible nest there.
On 22 April I saw 9 flying over, all in the same direction, still on their migrating route.
From earlier experiences I left the Swifts to fly to their nesting grounds the next few days, because I know it’s futile to try and find nests now, it’s too early.
Sunday 2 May I was one fly into a nesthole known to me on Geldenaaksevest 72 on the far right under the eaves.
Sunday was not such a good day and it was quite cold still, but I decided to go outside and see if there is any movement near my nestboxes.
When I went outside my attention was captured by very dark clouds in the distance with a group of swifts flying in front of it. Suddenly a very loud shrieking and noise made me look up at my own nestboxes.
There was a Great Tit hanging out of nestbox 1 making a terrible sound. I realized that a Swift has returned and kicked it out.
I never noticed that there were Great Tits in the nestboxes, because I didn’t look at the nestboxes until now. The poor Tit was sorrowfully shrieking while jumping and flying bewildered from roof to roof.
My Swift was back!
4 May. It was dreadfully cold outside, there was a slight wind which added to the cold. I found a truck to hide behind and be out of the wind. Later I looked and it was 9°C.
From 20:00 till 20:45 I was watching the nestboxes and I saw movement in 1 and 2 of Swifts and Great Tits in 3. Actually I went inside when Agnieszka found a little bird on the sidewalk. The german lady who walks her dog every night and shows a lot of interest in the Swifts were talking to me, so I did not watch very closely then.
It must be a baby Great Tit thrown out of the nestbox by a Swift!
On 5 May another two baby Great Tits were thrown out of the nest and the tragedy went on to Thursday 6 May when another two followed. It’s truly very sad to see this.
What a waste.
Tuesday, 9 June 2009
New nest 9 June 2009
Today coming back from the laundrette I saw a swift fly into a nesthole. It was a new nest for me and it’s great when they fly into nestholes, without me looking. It’s high time to start searching for nests , if only the rain will stop.
This morning I set my alarm for 6:30, but it was so windy when I looked out my window that I crawled back into my bed and only got up at 7am. I want to spent some time looking at my nests, maybe a few hours in one go, to see exactly how often they fly in and out. There was nothing to be seen till 7:30 and I went back inside, because I had to leave at 8:30. Hopefullly the weather will get better soon so I can stand outside long enough to watch them.
Tonight I wanted to go photograph the nest I found today at 39 Frederik Lintstr. I make a photo of each nest I find to be able to recognise them again next year.
The sky was filled with the most amazing threatening clouds. Every now and then I saw a flash of lightning.
This morning I set my alarm for 6:30, but it was so windy when I looked out my window that I crawled back into my bed and only got up at 7am. I want to spent some time looking at my nests, maybe a few hours in one go, to see exactly how often they fly in and out. There was nothing to be seen till 7:30 and I went back inside, because I had to leave at 8:30. Hopefullly the weather will get better soon so I can stand outside long enough to watch them.
Tonight I wanted to go photograph the nest I found today at 39 Frederik Lintstr. I make a photo of each nest I find to be able to recognise them again next year.
The sky was filled with the most amazing threatening clouds. Every now and then I saw a flash of lightning.
I never made it to the house I wanted to photograph, because the rain soon started.
Monday, 8 June 2009
Another egg on the sidewalk - 8 June 2009
Another egg fell from the sky!
So I don’t have to stand on the street so often to watch the nestboxes, I installed a place for me to sit in front of a window on the first floor. My house has apart from the floor level to the street – first floor or ground floor – another two storeys. The top storey are rooms rented out to students so I don’t have access to the floor just below the nests. To be honest it is in this part of the swift season, extremely irritating not to have access to those rooms. When I watch the nests from the street it is cold some days, like last week and I can’t hear the sounds from the nestboxes. It will be too expensive to install those boxes with webcameras, not because of the price of the webcams, but because it’s very difficult to reach them.
There is enough activity at the nestboxes. I am sure I will sooner or later have breeding swifts and I hoped for this year, until I realised that only one swift came back. Since then I have seen it often trying to lure another swift into the nestbox and it must have happened.
Then on 30th May I found a egg on the sidewalk under the nests. There was a rounded part of it still intact and I took it to LP to show it to him, maybe he will know if it is a swift’s egg. It was!
Today 8th June I found another egg on the street, almost next to the first one.
Why?
So I don’t have to stand on the street so often to watch the nestboxes, I installed a place for me to sit in front of a window on the first floor. My house has apart from the floor level to the street – first floor or ground floor – another two storeys. The top storey are rooms rented out to students so I don’t have access to the floor just below the nests. To be honest it is in this part of the swift season, extremely irritating not to have access to those rooms. When I watch the nests from the street it is cold some days, like last week and I can’t hear the sounds from the nestboxes. It will be too expensive to install those boxes with webcameras, not because of the price of the webcams, but because it’s very difficult to reach them.
There is enough activity at the nestboxes. I am sure I will sooner or later have breeding swifts and I hoped for this year, until I realised that only one swift came back. Since then I have seen it often trying to lure another swift into the nestbox and it must have happened.
Then on 30th May I found a egg on the sidewalk under the nests. There was a rounded part of it still intact and I took it to LP to show it to him, maybe he will know if it is a swift’s egg. It was!
Today 8th June I found another egg on the street, almost next to the first one.
Why?
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Broken egg on 30 May 2009
Saturday in the late afternoon I found a broken egg on the street below my nestboxes. I still have to verify if it is a swift egg.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
Swifts at home
I borrowed a video camera from my son and is about to blast you with videos of swifts. My own camera (not video) can take short videos, but the sound is almost non excistant. Whenever I go past LP’s house there are always swifts flying around. Lately since most swifts are back there are great moments of screaming parties flying by and I tried to capture the sound most of all, because they fly so fast, it’s difficult to catch them on film.
It was my first try and I captured a few really good moments.
My video: Swifts at home
It was my first try and I captured a few really good moments.
My video: Swifts at home
This past week - 26 till 30 May 2009
It is some time since I have been here, my “other” life got in the way.
The swifts are good and well back and always there, even when other issues take over. Cycling I can see them flying or when I’m inside I can hear them calling.
Some nests show themselves even when you are not looking, thus I saw last Tuesday an old friend back in De Bayostreet.
In my street there are only my three nestboxes and another nestbox of someone who responded to the letters I posted in the houses in this area. Two years ago I discovered a nest in nr 10, but I was not sure. One day I watched that spot. After 45 min. I got tired and wanted to leave, but decided to make a photo of the suspected nest anyway as the lighting was very good then. Just as I made the pic, a swift flew into the nest! Talk of luck.
Last year I never saw any fly in or out; but I saw some droppings under the nest.
With all the swifts searching now, there are some action in my street, specially on the white eaves where the paint comes off. There is one spot at a house which is often flown at and on Tuesday I saw a swift disappear into it! From now on I will have to watch it closely.
Clair’s swift is back too. She knows for sure that it is there for 10 years already. Her swifts are living between two floors of her house. The entry is hole at a anchor on the back of her house. At first they thought they had mice, because they heard noises and eventually realized that it was swifts.
The swifts are good and well back and always there, even when other issues take over. Cycling I can see them flying or when I’m inside I can hear them calling.
Some nests show themselves even when you are not looking, thus I saw last Tuesday an old friend back in De Bayostreet.
In my street there are only my three nestboxes and another nestbox of someone who responded to the letters I posted in the houses in this area. Two years ago I discovered a nest in nr 10, but I was not sure. One day I watched that spot. After 45 min. I got tired and wanted to leave, but decided to make a photo of the suspected nest anyway as the lighting was very good then. Just as I made the pic, a swift flew into the nest! Talk of luck.
Last year I never saw any fly in or out; but I saw some droppings under the nest.
With all the swifts searching now, there are some action in my street, specially on the white eaves where the paint comes off. There is one spot at a house which is often flown at and on Tuesday I saw a swift disappear into it! From now on I will have to watch it closely.
Clair’s swift is back too. She knows for sure that it is there for 10 years already. Her swifts are living between two floors of her house. The entry is hole at a anchor on the back of her house. At first they thought they had mice, because they heard noises and eventually realized that it was swifts.
Sunday, 24 May 2009
New nest 25 May 2009
The ingenuity of the swift in finding a home was once again proved today when I found a new natural nest at Apus College.
While I was cycling around in town, I saw this little head peeping out a nestbox.
Saturday, 23 May 2009
A pair again? 23 May 2009
A jamboree in the sky! Only swiftophiles will know what I'm talking about.
It started this morning and ended tonight when they entered the nestboxes to sleep or took to the higher sky. It is not only today, it is already like this for a few days, but today I managed to watch and enjoy.
At 12:05 my heart sank in my shoes when again he came flying in with his lady friend in quick pursuit, but while he still entered the box she flew off. Once he's inside I don't hear him anymore. Poor mite, sits there and wonder when she enters while she is off.
It was very busy with many looking for nests. It is rather funny to see them fly up to the eaves and clinging onto the wall. White painted eaves with patches where the paint came off will be visited by swifts time after time.
Just after he entered the box, a party of 4 flew three times past the boxes and one gave a scream every time they flew past. From the boxes came no sound.
Tonight many dark clouds filled up the sky and I decided to watch my nestboxes much earlier. Actually I was on the street often today, I just love to watch the swifts.
At 19:55 one flew out of a box and away, but then ..... at 20:03 it was back and guess what? Both flew into nestbox 1. While he was still stumbling to get inside, she was also there and entered the box with him.
Al his efforts finally payed off.
Tonight I'm a happy chappy! ...... and while I write this I heard a hyeana calling at Nkorho cam and now a lion roared, but it ended a bit funny!
It started this morning and ended tonight when they entered the nestboxes to sleep or took to the higher sky. It is not only today, it is already like this for a few days, but today I managed to watch and enjoy.
At 12:05 my heart sank in my shoes when again he came flying in with his lady friend in quick pursuit, but while he still entered the box she flew off. Once he's inside I don't hear him anymore. Poor mite, sits there and wonder when she enters while she is off.
It was very busy with many looking for nests. It is rather funny to see them fly up to the eaves and clinging onto the wall. White painted eaves with patches where the paint came off will be visited by swifts time after time.
Just after he entered the box, a party of 4 flew three times past the boxes and one gave a scream every time they flew past. From the boxes came no sound.
Tonight many dark clouds filled up the sky and I decided to watch my nestboxes much earlier. Actually I was on the street often today, I just love to watch the swifts.
At 19:55 one flew out of a box and away, but then ..... at 20:03 it was back and guess what? Both flew into nestbox 1. While he was still stumbling to get inside, she was also there and entered the box with him.
Al his efforts finally payed off.
Tonight I'm a happy chappy! ...... and while I write this I heard a hyeana calling at Nkorho cam and now a lion roared, but it ended a bit funny!
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Halo around the sun - 20 May 2009
This morning there were many swifts searching for nestholes and I spent a lot of time just watching them.
Looking up at the sky so much you see beautiful cloud formations and this morning there was a nice halo around the sun.
Sunny days - 20 May 2009
Wednesday turned out to be one of those perfect summer days, no wind and sun! If you live in Belgium you know to enjoy those rare days.
On one of the yahoo lists I saw they spotted a Great Reed Warbler at the Abbey and because I have never seen it before I went there, but I did not find it. I did see something else, there were lots and lots of butterflies all flying in the same direction. It was so strange to see the one after the other going through. It must have been some migration going on and with no wind it was obvious.
I found one sitting on the ground in the sun for a few minutes, when I was photohraphing some flowers.
On one of the yahoo lists I saw they spotted a Great Reed Warbler at the Abbey and because I have never seen it before I went there, but I did not find it. I did see something else, there were lots and lots of butterflies all flying in the same direction. It was so strange to see the one after the other going through. It must have been some migration going on and with no wind it was obvious.
I found one sitting on the ground in the sun for a few minutes, when I was photohraphing some flowers.
Babies are always beautiful, even these mallards. These have grown since I last saw them.
By noon I was back home and saw my swift trying to lure another one into his nestbox……….but the same story as before, she flew up to the nestbox and then turned away.
Later in the afternoon I was at my son’s and still the butterflies kept coming. There must have been thousands migrating. That is if the Painted lady is a migrating butterfly, I can’t seen any other reason.
In the evening I was outside much earlier and walked around in my neighbourhood.
I found another nest!
I’m really chuffed with this nest. It was one of those accidental lucky moments, when you look in the right direction at the good time.
There were so many swifts around the church tower and I saw two leaving a nesthole just as I was looking.
Soon I can start searching for nests, I’m so looking forward to that.
19 May 2009
Burgemeesterstr 29-27 date nest was found 14 May 2009Tuesday I did not do much swift-wise. I went to the course in the morning , fetched my grandchildren in the afternoon and took them home and in the evening I went to see Millenium, the movie.
Since Easter I’m totally enwrapped by the Millenium series of Stieg Larsson and unexpectedly I saw there is a movie about them when I finished the books. Christmas came early this year! Just to add, I think Noomi Norén is the perfect Lisbeth Salander. I found a site on the internet saying, "Stieg Larsson, the man behind Lisbeth Salander". Totalle quant!
I saw swifts fly into a nest just across the street from the cinema. It was my first nest I found this season. Last year a friend directed me to this house, but I stood outside it for a very long time, but did not see any swifts and this year it became the first nest I spotted and I saw both of them fly into the nest. They fly in from the left and then crawl behind the gutter pipe into a gap behind the eaves of the house on the right.
Since Easter I’m totally enwrapped by the Millenium series of Stieg Larsson and unexpectedly I saw there is a movie about them when I finished the books. Christmas came early this year! Just to add, I think Noomi Norén is the perfect Lisbeth Salander. I found a site on the internet saying, "Stieg Larsson, the man behind Lisbeth Salander". Totalle quant!
I saw swifts fly into a nest just across the street from the cinema. It was my first nest I found this season. Last year a friend directed me to this house, but I stood outside it for a very long time, but did not see any swifts and this year it became the first nest I spotted and I saw both of them fly into the nest. They fly in from the left and then crawl behind the gutter pipe into a gap behind the eaves of the house on the right.
Monday, 18 May 2009
18 May 2009
It was a sunny, but windy day with not many swifts flying about. Tonight the wind was much less and the sky filled up with our little friends.
Because I have to make a short film for a course I take and I still have almost nothing I cycled to LP’s house with the hope to film a swift flying into a nestbox. I saw several swifts fly into his nestboxes, but I didn’t get to film even one, I’m just too slow.
Rainclouds started filling the sky and I wanted to look at my nestboxes, so at 8:30pm I was standing outside my house.
Between 8:30 and 8:40 I actually had a screaming party of 4 fly up to nestbox 1 and one hung onto it.
Then much earlier as usual, 8:50,two swifts came flying in. One flew into nb3 with the other one following that close they both couldn’t get into the nestbox. The second one flew off. I don’t understand why this happens almost every time. One flies in and the other one when it can’t get in simultaneosly, it flies off! It doesn’t enter….. not while I’m watching anyway. It should fly one circle and enter after the first one.
Then it started raining.
Because I have to make a short film for a course I take and I still have almost nothing I cycled to LP’s house with the hope to film a swift flying into a nestbox. I saw several swifts fly into his nestboxes, but I didn’t get to film even one, I’m just too slow.
Rainclouds started filling the sky and I wanted to look at my nestboxes, so at 8:30pm I was standing outside my house.
Between 8:30 and 8:40 I actually had a screaming party of 4 fly up to nestbox 1 and one hung onto it.
Then much earlier as usual, 8:50,two swifts came flying in. One flew into nb3 with the other one following that close they both couldn’t get into the nestbox. The second one flew off. I don’t understand why this happens almost every time. One flies in and the other one when it can’t get in simultaneosly, it flies off! It doesn’t enter….. not while I’m watching anyway. It should fly one circle and enter after the first one.
Then it started raining.
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Confusing nestboxes and a magpie 17 May 2009
Tonight I’m a bit depressed with my swifts. They are still confused with the nestboxes. I do wonder if it’s wise to hang 3 identical nestboxes so close to each other. It is the second year I watch the same thing. Tonight they sleep in nestbox 1, tomorrow in 2 or maybe 3 ….. or …… one swift fly in nestbox 1 and the other in nb 3 or 2!
They don’t recognise the nestboxes, all look the same to them. I wonder if it’s too late to mark the nestboxes? I’m going to do it anyway, but the question is, how do I do it? I could paint a red dot on one and a yellow dot on the other one, but do they recognise colours? Maybe it’s best to paint a round dot on one and a square on the other?
I stood outside from 8:30pm and watch them try to enter at 8:50pm, but it didn’t work or it was not yet time and they flew off. They didn’t fly too far, because I had two flying around the house most of the time I watched.
Every night while I stand outside there is a blackbird singing two houses from me. He sits in the gutter and sings his little heart out. Tonight he was silent and I thought he must have found a partner.
Instead there sat a magpie.Since a few weeks magpies are not my favourites, before I just looked at them as beautiful birds, but they were chasing the blackbirds terribly.
At 9:10pm my swifts were back and while one flew in nb 3 it had the magpie immediately behind him. It stayed on the ledge just below the nestboxes for a while. He better not mess with my swifts!
They don’t recognise the nestboxes, all look the same to them. I wonder if it’s too late to mark the nestboxes? I’m going to do it anyway, but the question is, how do I do it? I could paint a red dot on one and a yellow dot on the other one, but do they recognise colours? Maybe it’s best to paint a round dot on one and a square on the other?
I stood outside from 8:30pm and watch them try to enter at 8:50pm, but it didn’t work or it was not yet time and they flew off. They didn’t fly too far, because I had two flying around the house most of the time I watched.
Every night while I stand outside there is a blackbird singing two houses from me. He sits in the gutter and sings his little heart out. Tonight he was silent and I thought he must have found a partner.
Instead there sat a magpie.Since a few weeks magpies are not my favourites, before I just looked at them as beautiful birds, but they were chasing the blackbirds terribly.
At 9:10pm my swifts were back and while one flew in nb 3 it had the magpie immediately behind him. It stayed on the ledge just below the nestboxes for a while. He better not mess with my swifts!
Two make a pair! 16 May 2009
While having visitors I noticed a lot of acitivity at my nestbox on Saturday night. Of course I could not resist that, so I went outside to have a look at my nestboxes and at about 8:30pm I saw TWO swifts enter nestbox number 2!
Today I will keep a close view at them as far as I can. I don't have webcams in the nestboxes and have to stand outside on the street to see them, which is not such a great thing. You only realise what a drafty place a street is if you stand there for hours on end to watch your nestboxes. I can tell now after spending two summers keeping watch. The first year I stood there twice a day when I played sound and the CD is about 75 minutes, but then I had the pleasure to watch swifts inspecting the nestboxes. Some days none came around.
The second year I played sound twice when I saw a little head peep out of the nestbox. It did result in standing outside much longer, because I never knew when I will see them. I finally realised that I can see them enter the boxes at about 10pm. So I went outside at 9:30pm and saw them at anything from 9:45 till 10:15pm.
If they are model swifts this year I should have a breeding pair ....... I do so hope!
Today I will keep a close view at them as far as I can. I don't have webcams in the nestboxes and have to stand outside on the street to see them, which is not such a great thing. You only realise what a drafty place a street is if you stand there for hours on end to watch your nestboxes. I can tell now after spending two summers keeping watch. The first year I stood there twice a day when I played sound and the CD is about 75 minutes, but then I had the pleasure to watch swifts inspecting the nestboxes. Some days none came around.
The second year I played sound twice when I saw a little head peep out of the nestbox. It did result in standing outside much longer, because I never knew when I will see them. I finally realised that I can see them enter the boxes at about 10pm. So I went outside at 9:30pm and saw them at anything from 9:45 till 10:15pm.
If they are model swifts this year I should have a breeding pair ....... I do so hope!
Thursday, 14 May 2009
Collegium Veteranorum - 14 Mei 2009
Collegium Veteranorum.
The Veteran’s College is to set the first step in supplying the swifts with nests fitted for them and for them only. In an old city like Leuven ( the university is older than that of Oxford) there are many old buildings belonging to the university.
The buildings are old, they are high and they need to be renovated. That’s why swifts love them. There are many holes that will supply them with cosy homes and they took advantage of them. In the Pope’s College there is more or less 30 nests and the Pope’s College is to be renovated in 2010.
On most of these old buildings there are holes just under the eaves where they used to put the poles to support the scaffolding to work on the roofs. All these holes are covered with plates and all kinds of fancy things to keep birds like doves out, because of the mess they make. Sometimes there are open slits where swifts fit through and they nest behind the block or whatever is in the hole to close it.
When they started with the renovation of the Veteranorum, Louis-Phillip (our local swiftophile) suggested they close these holes with a block, leaving a slit open for swifts to nest in and the architect came up with a drawer-like thing, which can be pushed into the putlog hole. On the outside the hole is covered, but it has a open slit of the size swifts prefer as opening for their nests. Problem solved!
Today 36 of these holes were supplied with their “drawers”!
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
13 May 2009
Tonight I was ready with my camera. Several nights I watched my swift come in from the same side. So tonight I wanted to make a movie of it coming in. It must be so easy, because I thought there is already a pattern of it approaching and flying in. It always gave me fair warning by flying once over the roof and round the flats and then come in with a swanky turn from the right.
Tonight it suddenly almost fell out of the sky. Instead of going round it came from the left and was already in the nest before I switched the camera on.
It entered nestbox 2 at 9:07pm.
Oh well, there is always tomorrow.
Tonight it suddenly almost fell out of the sky. Instead of going round it came from the left and was already in the nest before I switched the camera on.
It entered nestbox 2 at 9:07pm.
Oh well, there is always tomorrow.
Monday, 11 May 2009
One doesn't make a pair- 11 May 2009
What a bummer!
At 20:30 I went outside to make sure how many fly into the nestbox and only at 21:10 one came and he flew into the wrong nestbox! Oh boy! How can he or she still be confused with the nestboxes? I knew it, I should have painted something on it, it is just so difficult to reach it.
I wonder what I must do now, start playing sound again?
At night when he flies into the nestbox he doesn’t make any sounds, it’s quiet. I have not watched yet in daytime to see what acitvity there is, only in the evening when it’s time for them to fly in. On Saturday I did hear him call when I waited for my lift and that was at 6am.
So far only one has flown into the nestboxes, it’s much slower than last year. There is still time …. I hope!
At 20:30 I went outside to make sure how many fly into the nestbox and only at 21:10 one came and he flew into the wrong nestbox! Oh boy! How can he or she still be confused with the nestboxes? I knew it, I should have painted something on it, it is just so difficult to reach it.
I wonder what I must do now, start playing sound again?
At night when he flies into the nestbox he doesn’t make any sounds, it’s quiet. I have not watched yet in daytime to see what acitvity there is, only in the evening when it’s time for them to fly in. On Saturday I did hear him call when I waited for my lift and that was at 6am.
So far only one has flown into the nestboxes, it’s much slower than last year. There is still time …. I hope!
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