Summer beckons as swallows return to Irish shores

Swallow sightings across Ireland have rapidly increased during the past week as the summer visitors return to our shores following their winter sojourn in Africa.

Birdwatchers posting to irishbirding.com have reported sightings in counties Clare, Wexford, Roscommon and Waterford this week, including a quintet of swallows at Brownstown Head, near Tramore on Saturday.

Shortly after St Patrick’s Day on March 17th is the traditional time for the arrival of the first swallows, so this week’s sightings are right on schedule.

There was a number of sightings reported in the week leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, including at Moyne, County Longford (1), Cape Clear Island in Cork (1) and Cahore in County Wexford (3).

However, the volume of sightings has increased exponentially since.

Swallows can have multiple broods over the course of the summer in Ireland before departing for Africa in late September or early October.

According to Irishbirding.com, there were sporadic reports of the bird’s presence over the winter as a result of some stragglers from last summer.