Birds

Our feathered friends are most sensitive to those changes, and people who study them minutely can foretell changes in weather conditions. The wren, robin, sparrow or finch seen washing and preening their feathers in a pool of water is a sign of fine weather. If Willy wagtails can be seen fluttering about street or farmyard, heavy rain may be expected.

Magpies

The magpies, for instance, when they gather together and chatter loudly presage storm and rain.

The Blackbird

The blackbird, knowing that snow is imminent, can be seen feeding on scraps in the farmyard or picking under a tree or on a ditch in mountain or moorland. If they group together or in formation, the storm is not far away.

Crows

The crows fly low and caw loudly and look quite bewildered before a storm occurs. If they are seen flying low, with one wing pointing towards the ground or flying in groups, heavy rain is pending.

Robin

The robin flies near the house and into the barn when snow is forthcoming, but she flies in on the open door, a heavy fall of snow is fast approaching. If the robin sings in the evenings in Spring or Summer, rain is sure to come on the morrow

Wren

The wren, though small and humble, knows where to build her nest according to weather prospects. If she builds in an overhanging branch over a stream or river, a good Summer is on the way, but, when she builds in a dry ditch or eaves of houses, heavy rains and floods will be fairly evident during the Summer.

The Stork

The stork, or crane when seen flying upstream with a wide wing-span spread over the water, good dry weather can be expected, but when seen flying downstream, people may look-out for heavy rain and floods. Two storks seen picking along a river bank, or flapping their wings on the surface of the river is a sign of storm coming. The crane flying up a mountain stream of a warm spell of weather on the way.

The Gull

In late Winter or early Spring the gulls flying inland is a sign of a bad season.

The Swallow

Swallows arriving early is a sign of a good Summer. When swallows fly low, rain is imminent. If they migrate in early Autumn, an early Winter with harsh conditions can be expected.

The Cuckoo

The cuckoo calls with a clear sweet voice if good weather is on the way, but, if she only calls intermittently in a hoarse voice, the weather prospects are not good.

Wild Geese

The wild geese arriving early, flying in formation from the North with their piercing wail are harbingers of frost and snow. In Spring when they are seen and heard flying back North again, mild weather can be expected. Wild geese leaving their breeding grounds in the early part of August is a bad sign. An early Winter and many storms can be expected.