In Flight

Time to record activity around the house martin nest.

It is a untidy affair, built up of little clay beakfulls that the birds brought in to construct it of last year. They built it on a wooden platform, below which hangs a spacious artificial nest. Although RSPB approved, the birds clearly regarded this as a large concrete monstrosity and refused to use it.

The nest is currently very busy, and it’s another hot day which must be good for the flies, aphids and mosquitoes which the martins hunt high up in the air. My guess is the chicks may fledge within the next week.

Looking out of the nest, this bird seemed to be aware of me and my camera, and having gone in took an age to come out. Polish researchers have apparently found that martins can distinguish between people looking at their nests and people looking away. So this bird may well have been suspicious of my motives.