Swallow Nest Watch

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Well, I can catagorically state that these swallows have been flighting into my 'stock shed since at least sunday the 29th of April. I was sitting about outside that day and observed them to see which shed they were entering. 'Stock or Cow. I saw them going into the open door of the smaller, 'stock shed.

 

Laughable thing is, I guessed they must be going through that door and then whipping round to the right and through the currently doorless gangway doorway and nesting in the Cow shed where they appear to have more usually nested. Thus I had a couple of casual looks in there, hoping to spot their new nest. Never did find it.

 

This evening though I was in the 'stock shed and my goat was playing me up, dallying in the door way without coming in to be tied for his supper. Like ye do, I stood there, waiting for him to make his mind up. As I did so, my eyes wandered about the place, generally taking in it's state of repair, when .....

 

 

 

Here It Is!

 

 

So, there's me searching about the rafters for it, in the big shed when, all the time, it was right above my head and behind me as I entered the 'stock shed! It's right above the bloody door, see?

 

Anyway, now I've found it ~ and, as ye can see, it's still under construction. Ye can see the wet mud there ~ I thought I'd keep tabs on it and bring ye progress reports and photo's as it goes along.

 

I've got absolutely no intention of in any way disturbing these birds. But if, once they've laid, I catch the nest unguarded for a moment, I'll try to get a shot of the clutch and, later, the chicks. Let's just see how things go with my own, resident, little long range flyers

[T.F.Student 0]

Great read Ditch...been watching them myself quite a bit..itreally cheers me up when they get here...just waiting on the swifts now...look forward to your pics

[juckler123 707]

Love swallows nice one Ditch

What do you reckon did man learn to build[wattle and daub] watching these birds or did they learn from us or maybe its just coincidence

Dont they love humans weve had em nesting in our bus stop before now and in the toilets at a local cafe look forward to watching their progress

[fish 148]

Well, I can catagorically state that these swallows have been flighting into my 'stock shed since at least sunday the 29th of April. I was sitting about outside that day and observed them to see which shed they were entering. 'Stock or Cow. I saw them going into the open door of the smaller, 'stock shed.

 

Laughable thing is, I guessed they must be going through that door and then whipping round to the right and through the currently doorless gangway doorway and nesting in the Cow shed where they appear to have more usually nested. Thus I had a couple of casual looks in there, hoping to spot their new nest. Never did find it.

 

This evening though I was in the 'stock shed and my goat was playing me up, dallying in the door way without coming in to be tied for his supper. Like ye do, I stood there, waiting for him to make his mind up. As I did so, my eyes wandered about the place, generally taking in it's state of repair, when .....

 

 

 

Here It Is!

 

 

So, there's me searching about the rafters for it, in the big shed when, all the time, it was right above my head and behind me as I entered the 'stock shed! It's right above the bloody door, see?

 

Anyway, now I've found it ~ and, as ye can see, it's still under construction. Ye can see the wet mud there ~ I thought I'd keep tabs on it and bring ye progress reports and photo's as it goes along.

 

I've got absolutely no intention of in any way disturbing these birds. But if, once they've laid, I catch the nest unguarded for a moment, I'll try to get a shot of the clutch and, later, the chicks. Let's just see how things go with my own, resident, little long range flyers

had 2 came in the kichen last year

[byron 1,093]

Great read Ditch...been watching them myself quite a bit..itreally cheers me up when they get here...just waiting on the swifts now...look forward to your pics

plenty swifts here, well on the local ressy.been cold and cloudy here last few days [ east coast]

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

What do you reckon did man learn to build[wattle and daub] watching these birds

 

 

Absolutely spot on, mate! I stood there, looking at that nest yesterday, and do you know; The exact same thing occured to me! It is 'Wattle and Daub', isn't it? And can't ye just imagine some cave dewelling bloke, sitting there in his cave, watching these things flighting in and building their amazing little structures each day. Then reaching up and realising how solid they were.

 

And then he'd have gained himself and his entire family the very first Darwin Award: By trying to home them in a wattle and daub platform stuck to a cave wall, high above the ground!

 

 

Incidentally; Today it looks almost finished. I've been busy in the cow shed much of the time so they've had peace and time to get on with it. I looked this evening and it's a good third bigger and more completed looking. Day or two and I expect it'll be quite the job. I'll see about getting another shot tomorrow, if I remember.

[Guest Scuba1]

Have they started with the decorating and the furniture yet ???¿¿

Edited May 5, 2007 by Scuba1

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Funny as ye should ask, because I've been working down in the Cow Shed today and thought to take a look at the nest and grab another record shot. They're still bang at it, look. Lots more fresh, wet mud from today. I'm already surprised to note just how long it really takes them. If I'd ever stopped to think about it, from the way these nests just seem to appear 'over night', I'd have thought it was a lot faster a process. As we can now see though; Not so!

 

I'm already glad I started this little project. Keeping up with theirs

 

 

Three Days Later

 

 

We'll see how things progress

[J Darcy 5,871]

was watching som yesterday and saw an old swallows nest that had a wrens nest built in it.

[Guest The Big Fish]

Sure your not having us all on Ditchy?

 

Looks like youve got a handfull of mud, a bit of straw and just sort of mashed that lot together.

 

Our Swallows are much more tidy at nest building, that there nest you are showing is a typical "local council" built type nest

 

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Alright, Flash Harry! And who put the fancy ledge there for them? Anyway, these are Irish Swallows! I learned, only yesterday, that this country didn't even have access to sand and cement a mere generation back! That's why the old buildings here are built out of stones and what is now practically gritty dust! So my birds have some catching up to do. That's all!

 

Anyway, maybe these are young Irish swallows? Like me and my efforts at Glazing; They'll get better at it with the experiance they're gaining by having a bash just now.

 

Look; Here's what their own parents (probably) managed, last year, in my Cow Shed:

 

 

Bit More Like It!

[Guest Scuba1]

Come on Ditch more photos please. They must be at that stage where they are starting with the plumbing and sorting out the electrickery. Has mrs. swallow made up her mind yet on the colour of the carpet ??¿

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Fair comment, Scubes. In fact, I was hanging a new door in there only last night and I stopped to look at the nest. It now looks quite finished and dry. Thus I wonder if she might be in there and laying? If so, I'd be loathe to disturb her, in case I force her to desert.

 

But I'll be back down there this afters ~ soon as I've finished in here, in fact. I'll certainly do my usual then; Hold the camera up there and grab an outside shot of the completed nest. Only taking it any further will necessitate getting my ladder up there. I'll want to guage the situation a bit more carefully before trying that game just yet though. I want her well settled before going after a shot of the clutch, see

[Guest Scuba1]

Yes mate don´t disturb her... you know what girls are like when they get pi$$ed off.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Here we go. I managed to both obtain this record shot and I also took some - rather kack handed - shots of inside. I can report that it's juncus lined and has just one fair sized feather in there yet. But that feather tells us she must be, right now, starting to line it then? That is, if TBF's english birds are anything to go by? Note however that, while we have bags of it around here, she's not made much use of Spagnum Moss. Cultural differance, maybe?

 

 

Day 'Ten' and Job Done

 

 

So, there we have it. Aproximately ten days for an Irish Swallow to build itself a nest from scratch. Who'd have known that, eh?

 

Let's wait and see what happens next .....