High excitement, the swallows have successfully hatched out chicks!. No swallows have bred on the island for 12 years and though an old nest still clings forlornly to the rafters in the Castle and each year birds spent a few days looking around prospective sites, none stayed. Until this year, and not one but 2 pairs. The pair in the bathhouse seemed to have abandoned their nest but came back, laid a clutch of 4 eggs and they have now hatched. Yesterday when walking in through the door I met one of the swallows flying out and felt a gentle brush of its wings across my check as it zipped by. A real brush with nature.
The other pair nesting in the freezer room of the Castle are a bit further forward and yesterday we ringed the 4 chicks who are already starting to grow feathers and open their eyes.
 |
| Mark putting the ringed chicks back |
 |
| Carrie putting a ring on one of the chicks. |
We don't know why the birds have decided to return this year, especially when it seems to be a relatively fly free island this year but we are glad to see them anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment