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Triumph Over Adversity

 The swallows have returned! They left here late last Summer - nine babies and their respective parents - and yesterday they returned. A week later than last year, but back they are. Well, two of them. Yesterday, there was one, scoping out the joint as it were, and then this morning there were two, swooping back and forth, resting on the TV aerial and then the telegraph wires, and then in and out of the laundry. 

I watched them for a while, rocking and rolling through the skies, scooping rangy arcs across the fields, no doubt admiring the new roof of their Summer accommodation. Of course, all year round is Summer for swallows. When the warm days and long rays of the sun begin to shorten here in September, they will fly thousands of miles back South to continue living their warm days. Sensible creatures. 

These two returnees will need to build a new nest. The old one that had served as a nursery for the previous two years sadly crumbled to dust when the roof was replaced in February. There’s not much mud to be had at the moment, either, as there has been no rain for over two weeks now. But swallows are determined creatures and will find mud for their new nest, of that I have no doubt. 

I wonder which swallows have returned. The parents or the babies?  Here they are from last year…


The demise of the previous nest meant I was able to reclaim my red dustpan and brush. They now live in the garden shed at the top of the garden and are used as a Rabbit Poo Removal System i.e what we use to clean out the rabbit hutch. 

I wonder if more of the family will return and try to stake a claim on the laundry. There were two broods last year, one of five babies and one of four. If so, will they build multiple nests, maybe, and live in sibling harmony? Or will this pair defend their territory now claimed? The inside of the laundry roof has changed somewhat, too. It has new supporting beams sitting alongside the old ones, creating extra nooks and crannies to be negotiated and explored. Perhaps the swallows will decide they don’t like the improvements and take off elsewhere? Who knows? 

I am glad to see them safely home. 


Comments

Anonymous said…
How lovely!
KJ
30 April 2022 at 07:09
Denise said…
There’s a lot of activity this morning, KJ. I think nest building might be imminent. I’ve removed all items hanging from the ceiling just in case they decide to encompass anything useful as part of their nest.
30 April 2022 at 10:30
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