Swift half news - 26th April 2010

• Still no obvious "other half" to our roosting (male?) swift, although for the first time this afternoon I did see (and hear) five (other?) swifts high over the garden, coming in from the south. I guess we're still not even in May yet, so there's time.
• The swift leaves the roof at around 07:15am each morning and returns briefly to the roost late in the afternoon to make sure all is ok - then finally returns to bed down for the night at 20:24pm (tonight).
• Took the tiles out of the pond today and found lots of caddis fly larvae (which had constructed little homes from vegetation (like hermit crabs)).
• Also found a leech - but I'm not sure where the tadpoles are?

General (county) news - 20th April 2010

• Airspace over UK opened again for the first time in over 5days. I saw 4 planes this afternoon!
• I know a lone swift (my favourite bird of all) was reported in Berkshire yesterday, so my eyes and ears (?!) are peeled now for the homecoming!
• My sister let me know today that the swifts are in Paris and have been for a day
• A pal from Jersey also told me today that he saw three swifts pass through the island today.
• I am ready...

• NB. A friend of mine in Ireland has sent me a link today (after airspace was tentatively opened over the UK again) to watch live plane radar on the web. The site is a little slow, but I thoroughly recommend it. Click HERE or use the 24hr flight radar (live) link in my "general interest links" to the right of this page.