House Martins: where are they?? ? ?

We usually get them in the barns behind us but have not seen them for a couple of years. Bats at night time are rare now. My DD who lives much further south had them flying at dusk a month or so ago.
I do hope ours come back could it be to do with the insecticides the farmers use on the fields? They were muck spreading last week and we have loads of nasty dirty blue bottles.

Well, as you know Yammy, I’m in the middle, so I’m holding out hope for you.
As someone suggested, they may be moving up the country.

2023 alert- I’m in the garden having a coffee, and my house martins have just arrived this morning - summer is definitely on the way.

We’ve had them in north Norfolk for three weeks now.

Germanshepherdsmum

We’ve had them in north Norfolk for three weeks now.

Are you near any wetlands, apparently they go there to feed before returning to their nesting sites? I’m in the west in the mountains, so we probably get them later.

We have been watching them this morning, we are in South Wales.

Near the salt marshes, yes.

Oopsadaisy1

We have been watching them this morning, we are in South Wales.

I’m in mid Wales, today is obviously the day here!

Swallows arrived here (NE Durham) two or three weeks ago, but I still don't have any. We used to get a few nesting pairs in our outbuildings. I think I've been abandoned...😭

I'm in the NE. There were house martins outside an old school building I was in on Wednesday. They were having baths in a large puddle just outside the window.
I wonder if they are moving North?

They recently arrived in our horses field shelter as they do every year. We love seeing them. We have lived in this house for 32 years and every year house martins have built on the north facing gable end until about 5 years ago then they suddenly stopped. They arrive and circle around for a few evenings and one year they started to build then gave up. I even put down trays of mud for them!! no idea what we have done to offend them.

Here, in my barn. With swallows and redstarts.