Whilst on way back down from Top O'Th' Slate and nearing Kirkhill a party of approx 20-25 Swallows went past me and did appear to be on the move, I was overhead looking down over them as they flew very close to the ground, some of which where immature birds, all heading out in a North Westerley direction. This weird as yet unexplained directional migration movement does happen every year, when I see birds leaving in the opposite direction to which they will eventually be heading. When this does happen It always is with birds that leave earlier than the majority, eg August. During say the peak period of Swallow migration which is generally about the 12th September the birds then are always strictly going in a straight Southerly direction. Weird... but no one knows why some of the moves of Swallows go out North-West???
