Where are the 'Swifts'.

It's good to hear the bees are doing OK, what about the swifts, anyone noticed a decline.



Oh, thanks for your post butty.

I've been working out in the sticks quite a lot over the years on churches and have seen fewer swallows, swifts and housemartins year on year.
After being on holiday in Malta I might have a reason why. When these birds migrate from Africa to Europe they hop from country to country as they move north. In Italy, Spain, France and Portugal it is the tradition to get out into the olive groves and fields with a whacking great blunderbuss of a twelve bore and blow anything that flies out of the sky.
While this may do wonders for the crops as far as keeping pigeons down, it takes a massive toll on the insect eating birds that are migrating too. Until the practise stops then the numbers of finches, martins, swifts, red kites and countless other species will continue to decrease. It's a shame.

And as far as the bees go? Great news recently that the dramatic decline in bee numbers may be about to stop. Scientists have known for years that a certain mite has been transmitting a disease that has been wiping out whole sets of hives and bee colonies but have been unable to establish how and what it is exactly. Well the good news is they now know and are piloting trials to treat it.
Bees are really important to the economy as they fertilise around 80% of agricultural crops and it's great news for everyone. I know a few people that have hives of their own and it's a fascinating hobby.

I never thought I'd be discussing the birds and bees on Bolton Nuts.

Banks of the Croal wrote:Slightly ot, but i've never seen so many Snails in my garden, i keep removing them but there are just so many.

Anybody know if they're Edible? not that i'd eat the f,ckers.

No you can get Lung worm from snails.