I’m getting the impression that some migratory birds, like the Welcome Swallows , are staying over winter. This one was sitting under my roof and inspecting last season’s nest. They haven’t done this before around my place. I have seen more Swallows at a friend’s place.
Have you noticed any other birds staying over winter?
There's stiill a lot of Swallows around the water ways in my area but there's also a lot of insects and I think most animals follow the food suply.
There's a solitary Dusky Woodswallow over-wintering at our place on the s.e. slopes of the Mt Lofty Ranges, SA.
What you are saying Woko, reminds me of a book my grandmother often read to me when I was a little girl. The story of a little bird that was playing with some other animal children and missed the departure of his parents and siblings . When winter came and snow fell it suffered terribly and froze to death. It was a very sad story that tried to teach children to listen to their parents.
Are you suggesting some birds might miss take off and are left behind?
Or do we believe it's climate change, and winters aren't as cold as they used to be ?
M-L
Hi Araminta. I think there are some species where most of the birds migrate but a few "over-winter". Dusky Woodswallows are one of these species but this is the first time I've noticed this where I live.
However, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see an increase in the number of birds over-wintering as climate change takes hold. By continuing to belch carbon dioxide into the atmosphere we're conducting the most massive experiment seen in the history of the universe - as far as we know - so who knows what phenomena we'll witness. The ditching of the cautionary principle makes a mockery of conservative rhetoric.