Tuesday 1st July
While wandering Beamish open-air museum in County Durham today I spotted a ‘flight’ of barn swallows, all of which fledged just yesterday. Five of them sitting in a row were causing quite a stir, catching many a people’s eye as they sat patiently in the sun waiting for the right moment to catch flight and feed.
The swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a summer visitor to the UK, arriving from Northern Africa before it returns later in the year. Unhindered, they will migrate to the exact same spot to breed every year.
