Swifts are utterly amazing birds. They spend virtually their whole life on the wing, eating sleeping and mating while in flight. The distances they cover are astounding, with some estimates reaching 200,000km in a year. And of course that means they need to eat… up to 20,000 insects a day! The young may spend their first two to three years in the air. There are recordings of birds living to over 20 years, which gives a life-time flying distance of over 4,000,000km.
You can often see them early in the evening circling in small groups. Their flight is fast, twisting, and often at a great height. Their boomerang wings and almost pure black plumage are very distinctive.
And if you want to see them nesting, The Black Rabbit has a nest-box Swift-cam on his blog. Well worth a look.
Camera note: all shots taken with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens.
SittingFox
5 Jul 2010:up:
anonymous
5 Jul 2010TBR writes:
Thanks for the link Words.
I hope some of your fans take a little of our pleasure in watching these stupendous wee birds!
Ukwildlife
6 Jul 2010Great Photos. Been looking at TBRs recently and had a crack a month or so ok but can't get close to matching you 2!
Words
8 Jul 2010Erwin, unfortunately I don't 🙁
Words
8 Jul 2010Thanks Adele!
Words
8 Jul 2010Doug, they're great and thank you for putting up the stream!
Words
8 Jul 2010Neil, photographing swifts is one of the most dangerous subjects I encounter… a constant risk of tying oneself in knots as you try to follow them!
Wulpen
19 Oct 2012Very nice, do you now were there breeding?