October 6, 2012

 Last year on 13 December I posted photos of a Lesser Striped Swallow that was (re)building a nest under the eaves in the courtyard at the back of the house.  The nest rests on an old wooden pelmet that I removed from the lounge and placed upright in the corner, meaning to move it into the garage later. 

Later never came because the Swallows decided it would be a sturdy foundation for a new nest!

For some unknown reason there no breeding happened in the nest last year.

The countless little balls of mud of different colours were evident of the distance these little birds probably flew to obtain material and the effort that went into building the nest. 

I therefore left the nest as is, also because I know that Swallows return every year.

Last weekend I saw House Sparrows carry grass to the corner in the area where the mud nest is. 

 Unfortunately I do not have a direct view of the nest because it is above the back door.

Every time I opened the back door a Sparrow would fly from the nest protesting loudly.  

I was under the impression that they had moved into the Swallow's nest.

This week I saw that the Swallows have returned - much earlier than last year.

I wondered what was going to happen because the nest had now been occupied by squatters.

Today I noticed that the House Sparrows enter above the Swallow nest!

There seems to be enough room up there and I hope that they have not broken into the roof of the nest.

If the nest is not broken, it would be very interesting to see if the 

Swallows are going to breed in the nest this year.