Swallow Update for World on the Move

An adult outside the nest shed

Two of the three newly fledged Swallows on Mendip

At 925 feet on top of the Mendip Hills. The pair of Swallows I have been following for World On The Move (BBC Radio 4 Series) have now fledged what is only their second lot of young out of a possible 4 clutches. In April they fledged 4 of a possible 6, then lost one reducing the brood to just 3. The problem has been the weather. The second brood was laid soon after then after several nights and days of constant rain through late May early they appear to have deliberately kicked out the eggs, and then re-build the nest in another part of the shed. As the weather worsens through mid June into July the 3 clutch is just abandoned, and finally the 4th clutch laid in August contains 5 eggs. Even the weather does not improve all 5 hatch, however only 3 fledged, and that bring s us up to date. At present the young are returning to the shed to be fed by the adults, however they are fully flying showing off their new aerial skills. It was 17th September when they left in 07. So will be interesting to see when they leave this year. I have been watching a number of other sites observing both Swallows and Martins this year interesting as I write this 13th September they have gone from for all bar 2 of the sites, that makes 6 different sites were they are already off to and obviously moving south.

World on the Move is on Radio 4 every Tuesday morning at 1100hrs check out the website at

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/worldonthemove/