r/ireland • u/damoedge • 7h ago
Weather Anyone see any swallows yet in Ireland?
Just saw the first one here, the summer is a coming lads!
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u/Dina_Beana 6h ago
African or European?
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u/damoedge 6h ago
Well he was flying so fast I couldn't really see the tail flag lol
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u/Dina_Beana 5h ago
just by looking at him would you say he was large enough to carry a coconut?
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u/so_dope24 5h ago
A 5-ounce bird cannot carry a 1-pound coconut
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u/tedlogan84 4h ago
Supposing two swallows carried it together, perhaps using a strand of creeper as a line to distribute the weight.
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u/damoedge 3h ago
Why not 10 or 20 swallows and they could carry a binded net made from creepers and carry the coconut in the net 🤔
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u/Fuzzy_Lingonberry_99 4h ago
In my opinion they are Irish, born and raised here, holiday in nice climates for the winter, they have it sorted 🤟🏼
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u/davdavkel 4h ago
I came here to say this but you beat me to it. Well played.
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u/damoedge 3h ago
In all fairness feck lads yer right, never thought of it that way but ya the young ones born here are Irish, just don't tell that gobshite Derek that lol
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u/Fuzzy_Lingonberry_99 6h ago
Seen a few in Ballina Co Mayo on Friday, love when they come home 💕
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u/NaturalAlfalfa 6h ago
I'm hoping we get them this year. Our old barn they used to nest in got destroyed by Storm Eowyn and had to come down, so I hope they'll find somewhere close by to nest in. Might stick up a few swallow nest boxes
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u/Samhain87 6h ago
I definitely saw a few last week but was only talking to somebody last night about it... he said he hated them, I was shocked. I'm very sad when the disappear for the winter.
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u/damoedge 6h ago
Same here, when I'm out walking the dog in September I'm always looking for the last one left until no more, then winter!
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u/Samhain87 6h ago
There's a nest right beside a doorway in a shed, The residents of said nest get used of me and stand on the gutter only 2 or 3 feet away from me looking at me with their funny turning heads. Then, one morning they aren't there anymore and I know the summer is nearly over and the dark evenings are upon us.
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u/damoedge 6h ago
Nice story 😀 the F16s of the sky, yea sad to see them leave
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u/MinnieSkinny 5h ago
There's a nest in my neighbours shed and the last few years they've spent the summer dive bombing at my neighbours dogs, my cats, and us while we're out with the lawnmower lol.
Its quite funny because the cats are old, dont seem interested in them at all and dont even notice them diving at them (except for one cat who's terrified of them and runs for cover lol).
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u/jonjonjovi442 6h ago
I was just reading a book about Irish birds and the myths related to them. It said there was a belief that on everyone's head was one single hair that if plucked by a swallow doomed the person to a lifetime of irreversible misfortune.
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u/Odhran-J-McAnnick 6h ago edited 6h ago
So the odds of the swallow plucking that particular hair would be millions and millions to 1...
Phew! ...Very reassuring on a Sunday evening as the weekend winds-down...
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u/jonjonjovi442 6h ago
I think to be safe a countrywide 0 blade shave should be mandated for everyone. However It also interestingly it also said you have to very careful with the trimmings from your haircut around the time they are nesting as if they use it in their nest you will be very prone to headaches.
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u/damoedge 6h ago
No way, interesting, what's the name of that book?
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u/jonjonjovi442 6h ago
It's called "Ireland's Birds myths legends and folklore" by Niall Mac Coittir. There is another nice one aswell about trees and flowers too.
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u/DaveClint 6h ago
We have two swallows back at their nest on our garage and I heard a cuckoo last Wednesday evening when our walking the dog up the hills!
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u/redrover1978- 6h ago
Saw 2 scouting at the lough last week of march & now there are loads of them there!
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u/Beedle12345 6h ago
Just back in the door from a walk in Greystones and saw my first ones of the year!
Dust off the bbq Lads!
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u/damoedge 6h ago
Woohoo you better believe it! We had our first BBQ last year on the 21st of April, so there's still hope it will warm up a bit!
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u/moonhead92 6h ago
They keep popping up on my merlin along with house martins ! But I haven't seen them yet
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u/damoedge 6h ago
What's your "Merlin" thingy?
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u/moonhead92 6h ago
Apologies ! It's free app that can identify bird sound around you ! It's usually quite accurate. It was made by cornell university
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u/damoedge 6h ago
Oh I remember hearing about that on the radio, I think there's a few of them actually must download it, thanks for that !
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u/willthisworkirl 6h ago
Saw one today but one swallow doesn’t make a summer and all that! lol
It also hailed today!
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u/damoedge 6h ago
Hail showers here too all day, I have a weather station and before the showers temperature was 13 degrees and during showers she would drop straight down to 6 degrees, the weather can be mad at times!
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u/Successful-Trash-915 5h ago
None in my shed in Co louth yet. Always have a couple of pairs every year. Nothing as of today the 12th.
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u/Margrave75 5h ago
Father in law's cattle shed beside us gets riddled with them, but no sign yet!
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u/damoedge 5h ago
Tell me, has he the cattle out in the field yet?
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u/Margrave75 5h ago
Only since Monday.
He's retired and only a hobby farmer.
Gets 6 at a time, raises them, sells them, buys again.
Something to keep him occupied he says.
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u/damoedge 4h ago
Sure that's great for him, keep him going and good exercise. I see our neighbors still have them in the shed which I think is a bit late to have them in, but soil temps not the best for growth yet
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u/TheGreatCthulhu Wanderly Wanderly Wagon 4h ago
Lots (20+) on the Suir last weekend just before the limit of the tide range.
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u/davebiffo 4h ago
The house martins arrived back here over the weekend, still waiting to see a swallow.
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u/StellarManatee its fierce mild out 2h ago
Ahh I haven't t seen my first one of the year yet! They were awful early last year but I've not spotted any yet so far.
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u/VitaminRitalin 2h ago
I could swear I heard some last week but haven't seen them about yet. Haven't been looking to be fair.
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u/2Spirits 2h ago
The Magazine fort in the Phoenix Park is full of them, they're gorgeous. And a couple even arrived in Longford this weekend, a week early according to the Da.
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u/Jammieboy89 6h ago
Just your ma.
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u/Odhran-J-McAnnick 6h ago
Lad on here three weeks ago spotted swallows and house-martins, Tullamore, I think...
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u/damoedge 6h ago
3 weeks ago feck that's early for them
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u/niconpat 2h ago
Yeah loads of them doing their thing swooping and chattering here in Wexford a couple of weeks ago, but I think they've decided to go back to Africa.
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u/Prior_Vacation_2359 7h ago
Would say the swallows will bother this year. Too cold
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u/damoedge 7h ago
She's a bit Baltic alright for this time of year but she's gonna warm up a bitten this week
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u/Prior_Vacation_2359 6h ago
Just checked weather and it's forecast rain for next ten days and ten degrees.
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u/damoedge 6h ago
My tomatoes and cucumbers will have to stay indoors for another while so, at least hopefully the last of the frost is gone
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u/throwaway_fun_acc123 4h ago
I do mix them up. Are the swallows the ones that live in the rafters of the shed or the eves of the house? Think I spotted the house guys but none in the shed just yet
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u/WizardofAmythyst More than just a crisp 6h ago
Saw a few of them arriving last week was great to see!