And now come the Swallows……..

 In the ten years I have lived in my mountainous Welsh house, twice swallows have chosen to nest in the garage, each pair producing 4 healthy fledglings. It is some years since they were here, however, though occasionally a pair has looked briefly and then left, to my disappointment. It is very uplifting to see these beautiful, graceful birds who have travelled for thousands of miles to breed soaring in and out of a door close to my kitchen window, in trust they are safe, and it is an honour to be chosen to shelter them. As some weeks ago I pondered if and how to do the building work, the birds as well as the bats were a major consideration: I knew a bat survey must be done for bats clearly were present in large numbers, but the welfare of possible future swallow occupants was important too. Because they had failed to return for several years I told myself that if they did not turn up to nest this summer, as I expected, I would exclude them from my considerations, but that if they did arrive once more I would keep the garage as a wildlife refuge for them as well as the bats, and the decision would be made for me. And so, of course, a pair of swallows arrived three days ago. They go in and out of the building several times a day but are not nesting. It is possible that they are newly arrived and are feeding up, or that they are just looking and will move on elsewhere, as before, but either way their presence, on cue, has determined the outcome. I have cancelled the bat survey scheduled for next week without regret and will consider other options for a new workroom. I will be sad if the birds do not settle, but then, they have choices too, just like you and me. [byline]   [byline]    ]]>