Swallows arrival 2011 (Was I seeing things???)

Cú Giobach

Just got a swallow out of my house.
The poor thing was really freaking out and battering itself against a window after a tour of the whole house, upstairs and downstairs, got it out without any injury though.

Amazingly beautiful creatures up close.

borderlinemeath

Cú Giobach wrote: »

Just got a swallow out of my house.
The poor thing was really freaking out and battering itself against a window after a tour of the whole house, upstairs and downstairs, got it out without any injury though.

Amazingly beautiful creatures up close.

Happens at least once or twice a year to my ones:(. They are flying so fast and they're nesting in the boilerhouse and the door is about 4 feet away from the back door of the house, both buildings painted magnolia with black doors.

Last year one of the fledglings was so stunned it wouldn't leave my hand when I tried to put it outside. I put it back up in it's nest and hoped for the best - it was back flying about in no time.

mr.wiggle

Mothman wrote: »

That's great mr.w
Sadly I've none...as yet

You have time for a 2nd AND a 3rd brood

Update- just heard the second brood yesterday morning.
Funny thing I've noticed is that all the feeding seems to happen
very early in the morning ( crazy cheeping), with very little
noise thru the rest of the day. Anyone know is this the norm?

Mr.W.

E39MSport

Think the 4 eggs in the cup in my porch may be abandoned

Male is there perched on the other cup (unless he's an intruder) of an evening but cannot see the female.

borderlinemeath

E39MSport wrote: »

Think the 4 eggs in the cup in my porch may be abandoned

Male is there perched on the other cup (unless he's an intruder) of an evening but cannot see the female.

Ah no, have you had a look later on in the evening? I find that only one swallow minds the nest up to dusk but when it's fully dark they both either sit on the nest or just beside it.

E39MSport

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Ah no, have you had a look later on in the evening? I find that only one swallow minds the nest up to dusk but when it's fully dark they both either sit on the nest or just beside it.

Yeah - haven't seen he ron it since last Thursday. I looked out at night but couldn't see her. It's possible she's down in the cup however because it's one from CJ.

... actually, I should take note of the orientation of the eggs and see if it changes overnight.

E39MSport

Just checked. I can see a few mm of her streamers over the edge of the cup

borderlinemeath

E39MSport wrote: »

Just checked. I can see a few mm of her streamers over the edge of the cup

Excellent - sometimes they build the nests into a cocoon shape cup, so you can barely see them when they're in the nest.

E39MSport

2 newly hatched chicks this morning so far out of 4 eggs. I was worried that the eggs had expired as we're almost at 3 weeks now since laying.

here's a pic of the cup I put up (one of 2).



A male came into the house on Saturday for a look around. Flew into most rooms before I persauded him to leave.

Thankfully the weather has picked up.

E39MSport

Sadly only one chick left in the cup. It's doing okay I think.

The birds are having problems with a Magpie though. It seems that the Magpie has determined where the nest is located and there has been consternation several times where we've managed to shoo the MP before it caused any damage.

I'm now wondering whether the magpie is responsible for the missing chicks but I think I read before that dead chicks are removed ?

I saw this behaviour before by MP's in Wales where several of them were in a barn attacking nesting swallows.

I'm keeping an eye (and ear) out.

borderlinemeath

Is there anything you can put up that will deter the maggie but not the swallows? That's so upsetting, the poor swallows.

I'm grateful mine are in the boilerhouse, going on the egg laying (4 eggs) mine are just about to hatch.

E39MSport

Good point but can't think of anything that wouldn't risk scaring off the adults.

I ran the MP at 5 this morning so maybe it will think twice about coming back

E39MSport

Well, came home yesterday evening to find that the last remaining chick had been taken by the magpie. And it was doing so well.

The adults are still roosting in the porch so I am going to shroud the area with chicken wire leaving a good sized entry point for the birds.

Graces7

This is our first summer here in West Cork; I was delighted to find two nests in the shed and now have to call out before going in lest I get a swallow in my face so fast do they fly out.

They are the first birds to sing in the early day.

We keep the magpies away from garden as best we can; wee dog is trained to "see them off" at the first sign of a call from them and we leave no food out now; and the strawberries are netted after losing some.

I found one of the cats on the ledge in the shed near one of the nests once but I do not think he can reach that and the other is well out of reach.

In another place, a cat brought a swallow in; still warm. I think it had dived in through the open house door and right past the cat's nose.

Regrettable, but it gave chance to fully appreciate the shape and colouring and to marvel at it. Utter beauty.