More Birds In The Bush

The Swifts are back in Shepherd's Bush airspace.

We noticed the first one over the back garden at 7.20pm on Friday (May 6). There have been up to four at a time so far.

Their arrival was pretty much on schedule compared with recent previous years:

2010: Sunday, May 9

2009: Friday, May 8

2008: Saturday, May 10

2006: Sunday, April 30 - early doors.

The RSPB estimates there are 85,000 breeding pairs in the UK each summer but the number seems to be falling.

The first Swallow of the year passed through yesterday - a much more unusual sight in W12.

The one above was snapped on the pay-and-display machine at Morston Harbour in Norfolk on May 1.