Swifts

My first Swifts of the year were seen at Wymondham, Norfolk, on 23rd April, these were 3 birds high over the town in a Northerly heading, an early date.
Swifts have been seen with some regularity over Watton since the first few days of May.  From the garden I often see around 8 birds engaged in chasing and mating behaviour.

Swift over Watton 6th May 2020

Swift over Watton 6th May 2020

Swift over Watton 6th May 2020

I have always been in awe of these supremely aerial birds, how they feed, sleep, mate, and even gather nesting material on the wing.  Did you know that nesting material gathered on the wing is cemented in the nest using the birds saliva?
A true long-distant migrant, the Swift covers some 14,000 miles annually on its travels between Britain, Africa, and return journey.  The only time the Swift lands is when it enters the nest, if grounded, the legs are not strong enough to launch it back into flight, the bird can become vulnerable to predators, unless it is given a helping hand from us.
In order to sleep, Swifts have the ability to shut down half its brain, a remarkable feat.
Swifts can be long lived, the oldest recorded bird was over 17 years old, however, it is likely that others live longer.