I have always loved the fact that the swallows choose to nest in our stables. We started off with one nest and they have been increasing every year – although not all of them are always occupied. There are currently five swallow’s nests and one wren’s nest – although I don’t think the wrens are in residence this year. Two of the olld swallows’ nest have had fresh feathers put in them this year and there has been a brand new nest built on the side of the light – I am now afraid to turn the light on in case the heat makes the nest fall down! I also had to move the water bucket as it was right underneath and I did not want to find any drowned fledglings.

As the nests are so high it is very difficult to see inside them and I have seen no evidence of eggs in them – although I did find a broken (not hatched) egg on the floor a couple of weeks ago. This morning, however, I found the remains of hatched eggs in Cookster’s stable. This evening I had a peep at the nest and – although I didn’t get too close and so couldn’t see very well – there were definite signs of movement and the flash of a beak. The chicks are awake!

Although the swallows are constantly flying in and out they go so fast that it is almost impossible to get a decent picture of them, although you may have spotted one swooping across the beginning of a video of Galahad jumping a few weeks ago!