The soft tapping we could hear at 5:30 am for the last few mornings culminated in a right racket and the culprit was seen flying off. The nuclear bomb proof Jacobi Jayne woodcrete held up but the holes are larger than on my original RSPB plastic ones so the birds plaster them up; in the picture above you can see the left one has had the plastering removed whilst the right hand side has survived so far but the squeaking chick presents a tempting target. In 14 years we have never had martins predated though some have failed in the wet years and some very late chicks never get away.
The three properties on my House Martin survey square have suitable eaves but no nests and Soar Y Mynydd chapel has been painted and the old nests removed so birds are still building there but only 2 pairs. I hope one nest is not knocked down because its over the door…God sees the meanest sparrow fall, according to my mum.
Philip: we also returned on June 6th to find a spotty nest still under construction (now sitting) so that's the back door out of order for the duration!
I could only find one bird apparently feeding young in Coed Y Bont yesterday but did hear a wood warbler in the oaks at the very top of the wood although that may indicate an un-mated male at this late stage.