Although we have been spared the flooding of the Severn or Thames valleys (though my office is on the edge of the Thames flood plain!) my family and I have not had to worry about our house being flooded. Last Friday a collegue of mine had to rush home because runoff water from a field had gone into his ground floor.
On the few evenings I have been able to sit outside in the last few weeks, I have almost always heard the cries of the swifts as they gather for their night flight; I love the sound. I understand that they fly overnight so need sufficient height at the end of an evening. I am also aware that birds like swallows adjust their daytime height to match the height at which insect prey can be found. I have a great memory of driving our family car down a farm track in Germany one dull day and seeing swallows at eye-level. Insects obviously low with the poor weather. Conversely I have seen swallows hunting at a high level with fair weather.
I have no way to estimate the height at which I see swifts in the evening. However, yesterday evening they seemed about double the height I had previously seen them. I thought maybe the weather would improve. Despite this weather today has been absolutely sodden. Maybe what swallows do does not translate to swifts!
I hope that the water recedes for you guys along the Thames gateway.
2007-07-24 @ 08:28