On Saturday May 9^th 2020 we are celebrating World Migratory Bird Day. During these days of restricted travel for humans it is pretty exciting to imagine these birds arriving and departing from different parts of the globe as they would any other year. Meet two of our summer visitors to Ireland!

https://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/2020/birds-connect-our-world

 The Swallow

I spotted a swallow last week flying high in the blue sky above my garden. The arrival of the swallow is a real marker that summer is beginning in Ireland. These remarkable little birds spend the winter in southern Africa and fly 10,000 kilometres crossing the Sahara Desert to spend their summer in Ireland. They nest in open barns and in the eaves of houses. Swallows rarely land on the ground and even drink on the wing! Keep your eyes peeled and enjoy watching these acrobatic birds dipping and diving in the sky or busily building a mud nest. Include these sightings in your Nature Diary. Find out some of your own incredible facts about these adventurous little birds.

 Arctic Terns

 These elegant sea birds travel all the way from the Antarctic to spend their summer in Ireland. They lap the globe each year travelling up to 32,000 km! It’s summer all year round for the tern. First, they spend summer in the southern hemisphere and then come north to raise their chicks during our summer. They head back south again in September. What an amazing journey these chicks face – the Arctic tern has the longest migration of any creature on the planet. You are most likely to spot one of these incredible creatures in Wexford, Kerry, Mayo and Donegal. Why not draw an Arctic tern in your Nature Diary or search for a video online and learn more about these amazing birds?