All gone now. Our last remaining young swift departed yesterday, but unusually during late afternoon rather than the normal first thing in the morning departure. So the end of yet another year, here's hoping they return next year - safe journey young swifts!

Well, one of the youngsters is still here. Friday night both were present, but no parents with them. Then yesterday, Saturday morning, one of the youngsters left first thing in the morning, leaving just the one in the nest. Then last night, one of the parent birds returned and roosted together with the youngster. This morning it left and we thought the youngster might leave too, but no, it's still here. Here is a video of Saturday night's roost:

And below, a photo of our youngster peering out through the entrance hole. Surely it's going to leave tomorrow?

Another video of our young swifts. Yes, they're still here and they have been busy doing their press-ups this morning, ready for when they leave. Which won't be long now I suspect. One of the parent birds appears to have left already. Also, in the last couple of weeks we've had some interested parties of swifts flying around and banging our boxes and Box 2 was entered and inspected at one stage but none of them roosted. Lets hope they have committed the location to memory for next year!

Here's the latest still picture of our young swifts. Still growing fast, barely any room on the nest for the parents now! We shall be getting some wing stretching videos shortly, they have plenty of room in this nestbox. How on earth do they manage it when nesting under roof tiles?

 Another view of our young swifts taken yesterday, they're growing fast!

 Here are are young swifts in this latest video, being fed by one of the adults. As you can see, they have grown vastly since the last video!

 

 

New Babies!

At last we have young swifts! We think there are just the two this time, but at this stage it's hard to tell. Here's a video of them with one of the parent birds coming in to feed. Notice how luxurious the nest has become as well!

Here's a short video of one of the parent birds which has brought in some more nesting material.

 

 

As yet we have not seen any other swifts inspecting any of our spare boxes or flying around the immediate vicinity. There seem to be very few about and our pair are sadly on their own here on the edge of the village. Will our mini-colony ever expand?

On 7th June one egg was laid! And then on 10th June we saw two eggs and the adult starting to incubate on the 13th June. And so hatching is due about the 1st July.

 No eggs as  yet, but our pair seem settled together in Box 3. Here is a video from yesterday:

The second swift in Box 3 has at last started to roost with the other one, we were beginning to think maybe he'd decided that parenthood was not for him! They both went out together this morning and that gave us a chance to view the nest. It's looking a lot plusher now than when they first arrived, new feathers around the edge and some on the base of the nest as well, so it looks as though they might be getting down to business now. 

 

 

Here they are snuggling up together last night:

A second swift has arrived.

A second swift arrived on 13th May and is clearly the partner of the first one in Box 3. It entered Box 3 yesterday but so far they have not roosted together. Here they are together, video taken yesterday afternoon.

Back again!

Hooray, one of the swifts from Box 3 returned yesterday evening, and this morning it is out and about with what looks to be it's partner. So hopefully  both swifts will return to Box 3 this evening!