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The Mendip Swallows fledge 3 more by Chris Sperring
The pair have produced a fourth clutch of eggs this year and from a possible 5 young, 3 have fledged. So, with the earlier success from the first clutch of 2 fledged, this makes a total success of 5 Swallows fledged during the so-called summer of 2008. The other 2 clutches completely failed to hatch. This coincided with constant driving wind and rain, which of course led to much reduced activity by the insects that Swallows need to feed on.
Only in the last few days has the weather really improved. I could certainly feel things had improved, as for the first time all summer I was being bitten by insects whilst sat watching the Swallows. During the observations, both adults were flying in and out of the shed feeding their now fully flying offspring, every so often the young would fly out and literally join them in the fields, but interestingly returning quite quickly to the shed and waiting to be fed in the shed.
Whilst driving through Milton on my way to the city of Wells yesterday around 100 Swallows were gathering overhead power cables - this was early morning and the mist had not yet given way to the sunny day that was certain to follow. There's no doubt that this was a party of Swallows preparing to leave for their great journey south. And there's further proof that Swallows are on the move: our frantically-hunting Mendip pair of Swallows were joined in the fields not only by their own young but also by other Swallows. They would fly in low across the fields from a north easterly direction, spend some time hunting with them, then move away towards the north west, which if they kept going would take them onto the Severn Estuary.
Chris
Further Reading:
Chris' last report on the Mendip Swallows: Two Swallow Fledglings
To keep up to date with the Mendip pair, check out Chris' blog and Chris' website
Spurn Bird Observatory
RSPB