Thursday 2nd June, after the weekly shopping trip in the morning, it was a trip to Baddesley Clinton, a Nat Trust which has swallows in the gateway, literally right above peoples heads!
But I got a bit more than I expected, in an interesting and fascinating way, the first sings of nesting were jackdaws in the eaves of the medieval moated house.
Up on the roof (original by Little Eva summer 1962, charted by Kenny Lynch Dec 1962 and Julie Grant Jan 1963, though The Drifters did have their own version), with food for the brood!
After going in through the back door, one came out through the front door....
And using the front door to go in this time!
"And don't forget to close the door behind you..."
Then a wander around to the gatehouse, and right on cue, an occupied swallows nest. Not the one in previous years, and I felt this nesting pair were probably first timers, but that is only a wild guess.
The area where the nests are...
The team at Baddesley say the swallows have only been there around a week or so, and quite late in arriving this year.
Settling down and awaiting the next catch to arrive
The doting partner arrives complete with insect
Once happy all is safe, flies up to the nest
Fed and settled, until the next food supply comes in
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
PimperneBloke said:Lovely update thanks Mike. Don't think any of the grey waggie I've seen have been that dark on top... Must've caught the sun . Thanks for sharing
Or perhaps we haven't had enough sun (it has, and still is, generally cloudy around these parts) to lighten the plumage colours!
You're welcome, on the update, and if I can, I'll try to get there in a weeks time, or thereabouts, before they finally fledge, but my diary is quite full......
As promised, once I'd sorted and edited, three short videos of the Swallow Chicks being fed at Baddesley Clinton, on my Flickr pages.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/peak-rambler/52145742885/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/peak-rambler/52145256541/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/peak-rambler/52145256421/
Enjoy