The migrating birds, which usually fly thousands of miles from sub-Saharan west Africa to southern Europe to breed at this time of year, have been spotted around the Irish coast as well as in parts of Wales, England and even as far north as Scotland. The more familiar common swifts tend to arrive during May.
"Seeing one from my kitchen window was the best," said Jane Crossen, a birdwatcher in Norfolk. She said she had seen the bird, or possibly two different individuals, multiple times in the town of Sheringham on Monday.
Extraordinary numbers were reported in Ireland in recent days. Up to 60 alpine swifts have been recorded so far, according to the Irish Rare and Scarce Bird news group.
This story is from the March 23, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the March 23, 2023 edition of The Guardian.
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