Newcomers in Box 2

 Yesterday afternoon several of the prospectors tried to enter already occupied boxes and also Boxes 3 and 4 but did not persevere and one of the prospectors entered Box 2 on two occasions but did not overnight that evening. However, there were two adults in the Box 2 this morning and they seemed to be making themselves at home and getting to know each other better. 

 

The two young in Box 6 continue to thrive and are being left on their own for longer periods, and in Box 1 one adult continues to incubate, but I have a feeling that maybe the eggs are about to or have already hatched, going on the slight shuffling on the nest and slightly higher position on it. Hopefully I won’t be proved wrong….Look at the size of the nest now, it's turning into a volcano as the parents continue to bring in more feathers!

 

Lovely to have three boxes occupied now as it's a few years since we've had a picture like the one below! There is no-one in Boxes 3 and 5, those are just dark coloured feathers and bits of previous years' nests that you can see.

 

 

 

 

Feeding time in Box 6

 

More prospectors around the house today, they’re definitely having a good look! Box 1 is still incubating - we wonder if these eggs will ever hatch - maybe they’re the original ones which are well overdue by now. In Box 6 the youngsters are growing up fast, looking more like young swifts every day. Here's a video of the parent having just come in to feed them.

 

The nest is starting to get a bit crowded as the chicks grow, here the adult is trying to get into the nest and pushing the youngsters out to one side, I hope they don't actually fall out!

 

 

 

 And here is Box 1 parent off the nest, showing the two still unhatched eggs. 

 

 

Another view of the babies

 

Box 1 are still incubating, whilst Box 6 chicks are now getting a few feathers on and the parents are starting to spend more time outside. We’ve also had a few ‘prospectors’ this morning, at least seven flying around the house whilst our four adults were in the boxes. None have entered boxes yet but they’re having a good look so hopefully we might get some more taking up residence if we’re really lucky!  Here is one of the Box 6 parents looking out of the entrance hole: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And here are the youngsters in Box 6.

 

Two new babies!

 

Box 6 now have two young in the nest, roughly a week old and have left them on their own for the first time today, so I’ve been able to get a very bad video. Box 1 are still incubating but hopefully it won't be long before we see some more babies.

Here's a picture of the young in the nest: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here's a video showing a changeover and a quick feed, with the adults both leaving afterwards and the babies on view:

 

Proud parents?

 

We think Box 6 eggs have hatched as one parent is always on the nest and there’s a lot of shuffling about going on, as if they’re sitting on youngsters. Haven’t been able to get a video of the young in Box 6 yet, as changeover is quite challenging as one partner tries to oust the other off the nest. Here they are after changeover, and then the other parent went out again shortly after. 

 

In Box 1, an adult is still apparently incubating 2 eggs, but we’re not sure of the date of hatching as these look to be a second lot of eggs, the first two probably having been abandoned when the new partner in Box 1 turned up.

 

 

Feeling the heat!

 

The swifts are feeling the heat today! Both pairs appear to be incubating eggs, with Box 6 starting incubation on 12^th with hatching due around 1^st July. Still not sure what’s going on with Box 1 -  the parents still appear to be incubating but we cannot see the eggs for feathers! Here they are, suffering from the heat, (hence the open bills to try to cool off) and having just done a changeover on the nest. 

 

 

A new partner for Box 1?

 

Last night all four adults roosted in their boxes. Also at lunch time today, all four adult swifts were in their boxes. In Box 6, one adult was on the nest, and the other adult by the entrance looking out.

 

 

 Box 1 is a bit more intriguing. Having watched them for a few minutes, it seems to me that one of them is a new partner. I’m no expert, but going on the general behaviour they seem to be a bit ‘smoochy smoochy’ as though they’ve only recently met, not like an old married couple! See the videos. 

 

I thought at one stage that mating might take place and it may well yet, but it’s getting a bit late in the season now. The eggs are still in the nest and still apparently being incubated, so we’ll see what happens.