Bit of a fracas chez nous on Saturday, with the arrival of three more swallows. I suppose, given there were nine babies born in the Laundry Maternity Wing last year, there was always going to be a chance that more than one would return. I don’t know how swallow siblings work out the logistics of precedence - I can’t imagine they get together for an evening over tequila shots and nachos before they begin their migration and discuss who can bagsy ownership of the family manor. More like, ‘Ready, steady…GO! Whoever gets their first, wins!’
So, for most of Saturday, the sky above us was filled with shrieks of indignation from our nest-building pair, as the Three Usurpers flung themselves around, alternately dashing in and out of the laundry and sitting on the telegraph wire scoping out the joint with gimlet eyes. I took a ringside seat behind the patio doors, mug of tea in hand, and watched the aerial acrobatics, marvelling at the turn of speed and angles these birds can display. And half on edge in case any collisions occurred and I was needed to pop outside and administer emergency first aid with my birdie repair kit.
Yesterday was remarkably quiet. I hoped the altercation hadn’t put off our original pair from continuing their nesting. That would have been very sad. But maybe the Three Usurpers had come to give our two swallows the low down on a more upmarket residence?
‘Come with us to the superior penthouse accommodation we’ve found just up the road,’ they might have been screeching. ‘Plenty of room for us ALL to build nests and create a cosy family commune. You don’t have to slum it in this laundry, even if it does have a new roof!’
Maybe? I don’t know. I don’t speak swallow. I’m only just getting to grips with cat language, and that’s taken me YEARS of learning. As I say, yesterday it all went a bit quiet…
…and this morning revealed the reason why! Look!!
First swallow egg of the season! The nest is complete and is lined with cosy feathers. And an early start to egg laying means, like last year, there might be time for two broods. Apparently, swallows will lay egg numbers according to insect population, because they need enough to feed their offspring. Fewer insects = fewer eggs. If this is the case, there will be a good baby production line going on this year because there are thousands and thousands, if not thousands more insects out there, many of which are intent on biting me. It’s like Scotland is visiting and brought its population of midges with it.
It’s raining hard at the moment. Just as well, because yesterday was muck spreading day in the field across the road and it honks to high heaven. Seriously, I cannot hang washing on the line when this happens because the stench permeates all things. Opening doors and windows is a no-no, too, unless you want your home to smell of a slurry pit. The muck spreading happens just a couple of times a year, and is all part and parcel of living in the middle of fields surrounded by dairy farms, but even so….bleuch and poo!
Confined to barracks, then, I’ve spent some time browsing for more veg seeds with a view to raise seedlings for planting out in summer for autumn crops, which is something I’ve never done before. I’m talking squash, turnips and cabbage here. And then, because I browsed and some things ended up in my online shopping basket, I thought I might as well buy them! So I did!
According to the weather forecast (which is invariably wrong) we are due a mix of sunshine and showers for the rest of the week, with temperatures rising at the weekend. All go for revving veggies onwards and upwards in the garden. And when my thoughts will be turning to Project ‘How Shall We Celebrate Her Maj the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?’
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KJ