What a wonderful few days to see both of our swallow families safely away from their nests.... there were 5 of them in total in the mystery nest high up in our barn and today the little family in the stable have also flown - a total of 4 from this nest - originally I'd thought it was 3 - number 4 must have been well hidden - quite a deep nest!
I took these photos only yesterday of the ones in the stable so it was good timing.With all the problems we had with the swallows at the start of the season it was great to 9 fledglings taking to the skies!
Finally on another birding topic I wonder if anyone is an expert on nests - I found this nest on the ground in our woodland a couple of days ago - such an amazing construction - inside a mix of wool and horsehair with a fair amount of lichen on the outside... any thoughts?
13 comments:
What lovely swallow pictures - so great to have 5 fledglings.
I also enjoyed your beautiful dark daylily on your previous post.
K
Hi Miranda....such a lovely story....really made me smile....I so love the swallow, to know that nine have fledged in your garden delights me.....
Not sure about the nest....it is very beautiful......I thought Goldcrest at first...but I do not think they have their nest on the ground. Would be very interested to know what bird it belongs to......
Hi Miranda....such a lovely story....really made me smile....I so love the swallow, to know that nine have fledged in your garden delights me.....
Not sure about the nest....it is very beautiful......I thought Goldcrest at first...but I do not think they have their nest on the ground. Would be very interested to know what bird it belongs to......
I've no idea what the nest could belong to. Do you think it was built on the ground or could it have fallen from a tree. It looks very complex for a ground nesting bird (not that I am an expert!)
Dear Karen, Cheryl and Easygardener - please excuse my late reply - another busy gardening day ahead cutting grass in the main... thank you so much for your comments - the nest is most definately one that has become dislodged and fallen to the ground as it is not as you say from a ground nesting bird - I found it on the ground - it was on the edge of a small clearing - sorry I maybe didn't make this clear - if it had been a complete round it was more likely to be longtailed tits as I think like the wrens they make a sphere shaped nest with a small entrance hole... hope you all have a good day and will hope to visit your own blogs again v. soon. Miranda x
wonderful photos. swallows are so much fun. Last week in a stadium with 40,000 + fans watching baseball game, some tree swallows also entertained.
We have barn swallows nesting on our front porch. Two nests. So I was interested in your own swallows. They are such fun to watch.
The beautiful nest...perhaps a chaffinch? Not familiar with European birds at all, but did a google search on "Europe nest moss "horse hair" lichen wool."
~~Rhonda
Hi Miranda.....it is a pleasure...the black peony poppy is appearing right the way along that border and it does look lovely.
I shall send you some as soon as the pods are ripe.....
Email cheryl@iconism.net
My wife and I both enjoy our backyard birds...their nest are sometimes made up of plastic,straw paper...anything that stikes their fancy.
Our heirloom tomato plants (and Ramapo hybrid F1) are FINALLY starting to play "catch up"...2 months of excessive rain/low sunshine put them on "delay" ! Hope your new heirloom trials are doing ok as well...
PS
Wife is teaching me how to change the URL when I comment(who's identity)...google account is in her name.
Materhead
Hi Wayne, Rhonda and Materhead - a warm welcome to my blog and thank you all so much for your kind comments - it's been a busy time recently, having both been away and then coming back to a mountain of gardening work for clients - hopefully over the next short while I'll get the chance to pop over to check out your own blogs! On the swallow front we actually now have another brood on the way... more on that soon - have a good weekend - Miranda
Wonderful photos of your swallows, Miranda :)
Love your poppies in the previous post too :)
Not sure about the nest on the ground. If it's very small it might be a wren's.
Hi Miranda
Beautiful photos I have only just discovered your site and enjoy reading about your garden.
It is amazing how similar gardens in different parts of the world can be
I live in Aberdeen Tasmania Australia and will keep following your blog Dawn
Wildlife Gardener - 1000 apologies for not posting up your comment earlier - not quite sure what happened... probably like you it's been a v. busy summer so far! Love all your poppies.
Dawn - welcome to my blog - I wonder how you found it? So all the way from Australia - funnily enough one of my clients in Brittany is from Aus - they live in London!
Have a good weekend both and hope you have the sunshine we have here Miranda x
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