swallows are back!!!! by jantan

swallows are back!!!!

this evening when I went to put the animals away I went into the end stable which was dark. I heard a tiny rustle in the corner which made me wonder if our annual visitors the swallows were back. Fortunately I had my camera with me so I took a (literal) shot in the dark and this is what I saw. Hooray!

One of the things I love about this project is the diary element. I have just looked back at my entries for the same time last year, and noticed that I remarked on the swallows returning on 13th April. If I had had to guess I would have said that they were significantly earlier this year, but no.

After my art class today (painted a lobster using inks - good fun) I went to Stratford to collect Angus after his after-school history revision session (three 'afters' in one sentence - is that a record?) He has done the second five hour art exam today, and after he was in such a state after yesterday's session I must admit I was full of trepidation.

Good news, he came out feeling much more positive then he did yesterday, and judging by the photo he showed me of his final piece he managed to salvage something that wasn't bad out of yesterday's disaster.

I cooked chicken, ham and leek filo-topped pie out of the Hairy Bikers' diet book this evening - a very nice recipe.
Well that is a good sign. Great shot
April 16th, 2013  
Well done! I bet the swallow was surprised!
April 16th, 2013  
Summer has arrived, we saw one yesterday but they are not back in their nests yet!!! Love all that fluff & mud!!!!
April 16th, 2013  
Aww lovely!! Very cosy. Great news on the art and better that way round than a great first day ruined on the second day. I have nagged Adam again and he says that he has chosen something simpler but more do-able than his original choice - we'll find out!
April 16th, 2013  
@judithg I am sure he will be fine. Just tell him not to try using something he hasn't used before. Angus had decided to use acrylics, and had no idea really how they 'work.'
April 16th, 2013  
@jantan Will do - he keeps talking about 'shards' - who knows?!
April 16th, 2013  
what a great find, I hope to see a lot more of these.
April 16th, 2013  
Love it, poor things come all that way just to find it like winter, great shot, love the colour of the feathers.
April 16th, 2013  
Excellent and so sharp. I presume this is last years nest? Do swallows use the same nest each year?
April 16th, 2013  
Wonderful shot, Fav!
April 16th, 2013  
Super , so they made their way back to breed ! A gorgeous capture of a lovely little visitor The sheen on the feathers is stunning
April 16th, 2013  
I've got that book. I love it. The Spanish chicken is my favourite. We used to have stables with swallows nesting in them - they poo all over the horses.
April 16th, 2013  
Great shot especially if you did it in the dark! Glad his exam went better today. Your dinner sounds wonderful!
April 17th, 2013  
Wonderfully captured! I have 2-3 swallow nests around my apartment complex. This is so cute! Fav from me! :)
April 17th, 2013  
@dh Only got the book at the weekend an this is the first thing I've done from it. I got graham to look through and put markers on the pages he liked the look of . There were about forty of them in total! Including the Spanish chicken which I think looks yum!

Apart from other kit, this stable houses a chest freezer and the nest is right above it. I have to cover it with old feed bags when the swallows are in residence - they really are messy.
April 17th, 2013  
Yay! Love this intimate shot of them in their little safe haven!
April 17th, 2013  
Not bad for a 'shot in the dark'! Great news.
April 17th, 2013  
How exciting I must check down at the stables and see if the swallows are here in Cambridgeshire. Lovely capture of this amazing migratory bird. I made chicken and leek pie last night - spooky!
April 17th, 2013  
Lovely shot. Very cute.
April 17th, 2013  
@lucypics spooky indeed! You're not having spag bol tonight by any chance are you? (Sam has been craving it since he came back from the US)
April 17th, 2013  
So lovely :-))))
April 17th, 2013  
Swallows are so cute. Don't really see too many in this area.
April 17th, 2013  
That is splendid! How lucky that you have swallows. We are expecting our Housemartins back any day now
April 17th, 2013  
Beautiful capture!!
April 17th, 2013  
great capture.
April 17th, 2013  
What a beautiful capture. I find I do the same with my shots. I was wondering when the neighbours magnolia tree had bloomed last year...significantly earlier than this year it turned out :o) xx
April 17th, 2013  
fabulous shot
April 19th, 2013  
Oh I loved your swallows, glad they're back.
April 20th, 2013  
Beautiful shot in the dark. Birdie must have been quite startled!
May 30th, 2013  
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