The annual return of the European barn swallows to their African summer-home is a much anticipated natural spectacle that attracts roughly three million individual birds to Mount Moreland’s reed beds every spring.
The journey these incredible little birds undertake is truly epic, covering roughly 12 000 kilometres over a period of two to three months as they risk life and wing to reach their summer feeding grounds.
On Sunday, November 9, a crowd of about 200 people flocked to Mount Moreland Inkonjane, near Umdloti, to see the swallows swarm gracefully overhead.
Sharing picnics and the odd bottle of wine, groups of families and friends settled down on the grassy embankments in front of a crimson sunset just as the first swallows shot into view.
Within minutes of people’s picnic baskets being emptied, the evening sky was filled with birds darting and dancing in all directions.
Promised to be a spectacular natural event by long-standing Mount Moreland project member, Angie Wilken, no one was left disappointed as an immeasurable number of birds gathered above.
“This is, by far, the biggest event in the South African birding calendar,” said Wilken, who has been actively involved in Mount Moreland’s barn swallow conservancy for over 30 years.
Like a swarm of bees humming around their hive, the sunset sky was set ablaze with the silhouette of over a million swallows ducking and diving before roosting in the reed beds below.
Wilken said that over the course of the weekend, over 1000 visitors were expected at the barn swallow site, with that number predicted to keep growing as awareness of this natural phenomenon continues to increase.
Barn swallows can live anywhere from two to thirteen years, which means that one individual bird can potentially travel an astounding 156 000 kilometres, which is far enough to circle Earth almost four full times.
The tiny travellers have to battle harsh and dangerous conditions during their long journey, including crossing the Mediterranean Sea and flying over the Sahara desert, all while battling thirst, hunger, exhaustion, predators and extreme weather before they reach their Mount Moreland summer oasis.
This remarkable and truly unique experience can be enjoyed every day, 45 minutes before sunset until the swallows begin to migrate north again in April.
Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.
Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.
