Flying Free

The house martins have been a real puzzle this year.

They arrived, and it looked as if things might happen. The artificial nest seemed a success.

But our house sparrows made it clear their presence was not welcome. And that they could access the artificial nest.

So in the small space above the martins constructed another nest. It looked too small to be usable. And the martins seemed hesitant to go further, and seemed not to be around at times.

And then after all that, the arrival of lots of very windy days - gales even - and day after day of rain. And the martins disappeared.

But 2 weeks ago, after weeks of absence, they turned up again. It looks like nesting behaviour at the moment - one bird arrives and another one leaves, so maybe they are incubating - but I am not holding my breath, But whatever they are doing, I like having them around.

Flying Free is a song by Don Besig our choir sings, one of the choir’s favourites. Rather easier than the Couch to Chorus numbers we had a go at this morning.

Impossible to get the bird well focussed as it flew past the nest. But I quite like this shot. Better focussed shot in extra, but more a “one giant leap” than flying free.