I’ve been waiting patiently for the first swallow and finally got rewarded on Saturday last. I was down in Clare for the weekend and stopped at Ballyvaughan to see the Northern Divers when three swallows cruised past. Actually it was more like ‘powered past’ as the wind was storm force which made their travel all the more hazzardous. Then last night I went down to the liffey in Athgarvan and several small parties of swallows flashed past. They have finally begun to arrive in numbers. Watch out for the sandmartins and the house martins also as they are hot on the heels of the swallows. Then in the last few days of April check out your local village or main street for the swifts. Spring is finally here!  

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