Croft Farm Swallows Log Summer 2011

  14th April Gene sees first swallows in Cumbria near Fell Side.
  15th April Gene sees first swallows in Plumbland near Plumbland Farm.
  19th April Croft Farm's swallows arrive on telephone wires outside Croft Farm at 6.30pm.
On Camera in Outside Loo.
  20th April Swallow observed to visit East Corner Nest.
  21st April At least one swallow stays at nest overnight.
  22nd April Two swallows observed at nest in morning.
  29th April to 11th May Diane & Gene absent on holiday in France.
  12th May
  to 20th May Swallow on nest at intervals.
  21st May Two swallows at nest in morning.
  22nd May Swallow, (female?), restless on nest. 12.27pm removes egg-shell from nest. At least one chick seen. Adult feeds
  chick on return.
  23rd May Both parents attending nest and feeding chick(s). 6.50am exchange of food(?), or kiss(?) ,between parents.
  24th May Both parents attending, feeding and cleaning chick(s).
  25th May Both parents attending, feeding and cleaning chick(s), which are too small to see their number. 4.00pm at least two
  chicks seen. Only female sits on chicks on nest.
  26th May Male swallow catches flies crawling on edges of nest. Possibly three chicks seen. Adult removing poo(?) from nest.
  27th May Four chicks observed.
  28th May Possibly five chicks, but not clear. Parents feeding and removing rubbish, including poo. Weather still poor. Parents
  leave chicks for considerable periods. May be difficult to find food.
  29th May Chick seen depositing poo on side of nest, removal by adult at next visit. Later chick passes poo directly to parent. Five
  chicks strongly suspected.
  30th May Definitely five chicks.
  31st May Two chicks deposit poo on opposite sides of nest for removal by adult. Five chicks observed again.
  1st June Chicks developing rapidly. One appears to regurgitate material. Wings of chicks easily discernable. 12.00pm one
  chick climbs on edge of nest to stretch wings. Easy to imagine one chick not receiving fair share of food. Female
  struggling to find room on nest overnight, chicks so active. She perches on edge of nest.
  5th June Chicks growing fast and jostling for space. Female goes head first to bottom of nest, (cleaning?) Chicks' plumage
  distinctive, with white underparts. Adult sometimes returns, then, without offering food, flies off. (Showing exit(?),
  encouraging chicks to leave(?)).
  6th June Two chicks on edge of nest poo over edge and out of nest.
  7th June Chicks very crowded and active, climbing onto nest edge, spreading wings, now obviously properly fledged. Chicks
  appear to "circulate". In particular if one at the front turns to poo over the side, it can lose its place as it turns back and
  one from the back moves forward. Nest large enough to accomodate only three chicks on the front row. Others are
  behind. Chicks peck each other.
  9th June One chick hanging on outside of nest as adults do. On return adult butts it back into nest. Much wing stretching on
  edge of nest.
  10th June Chicks so big they sit on top of each other. At times only two visible and appear to occupy whole nest.
  12th June Chicks climbing onto edge of nest practising wing flapping. Chicks also coming out of nest, but not out of loo, possibly
  as far as door. Some poo found on outside of door, possibly deposited by chick perched on top of door. Chicks spend
  much time preening, occasionally appearing to touch other chicks feathers. Weather in April was good, but May and
  June to date poor. Adults appear to have been absent most of afternoon. Return before evening.
  13th June Very wet, grey, misty morning. 7.30am all but one chick flies away from nest, but probably not out of loo. Adults keep
  returning appearing to encourage chicks. No observation until 3.30pm chicks on nest being fed by adults. But only four
  seen. Gene, worried about the fifth, opens the door slightly and two chicks fly out. One returns about 30 minutes
  later. By 5.30pm four seen in the nest being fed by adults. At 6.30pm five chicks present. Chicks becoming aggressive,
  especially towards each other.
  14th June 11.00am two chicks in nest. One flies. 11.30am three chicks in nest adult feeding. 2.40pm two/three chicks in nest,
  but none by 3.00pm. Much noise in loo suggests not all flying out. 4.00pm chicks seen from outside sitting on ledge
  opposite door, some flying in and out of loo. By evening all five chicks have been outside. All return to nest by 8.00pm.
  Adults feed chicks in and out of nest.
  15th June 8.30am three chicks asleep in nest. Return to wind and rain. 9.40am all chicks on ledge, not on camera. All chicks
  outside later. Back at nest for the night.
  16th June Chicks out most of the day. At 9.30pm at least four back in the nest for the night.
  17th June Chicks out again. 5.45pm four back onto shelf then into nest. Adults feeding them. 8.30pm all five chicks fighting to get
  into nest from shelf. Adults feeding them again.
  21st June 6.45pm chicks still returning to nest in evening. Weather poor; cold, wet and windy.
  23rd June Chicks still returning in evening. Adults flying in during day, but not seen on camera.
  24th June 6.30pm nest is being refurbished by adults, built up around the edge with mud and straw. 8.45pm at least three chicks
  return and go onto nest.
  26th June Female refurbishing nest again, but not present later on. 11.00pm No sign of chicks in nest.
  27th June 8.30pm only female present.

 The first brood of five seems to have hatched on 22nd May and finally left the nest on 26th June, five weeks exactly, Sunday to Sunday. Despite D&G's worries, all five clearly got enough food. Swallows obviously know better than D&G when it comes to being swallows! Another brood was expected, but the way the swallows went about it wasn't!

    1st July  8.45pm female appears on nest preening, fidgeting and looking between her legs, as if about to, or having laid eggs.
  5th July After four days of no activity on camera suspicion is swallows have either abandoned intention of a second brood, or
  have switched nests. Gene cautiously opens the door. Two seconds is enough. Female is sitting on nest in opposite,
  (west) corner. When female seen to leave, Gene quickly enters loo and turns camera onto "new" nest. West Corner  
  Nest seems smaller than the East Corner Nest tempting speculation that it won't be big enough for five. West Corner
  Nest also further from camera, which was positioned on assumption swallows would use the nest they appeared
  to use in 2010.
  6th July 1.00pm female in and out to feed and sit on nest. At one point two swallows are present, female on nest and another
  on shelf. Might be male, or one of first brood.
  7th July Female on nest most of time, occasionally leaves. Weather cooler and wetter after hot spell last week.
  9th July 9.55am female leaves and Gene quickly goes into loo. Holding small mirror above nest confirms five eggs. Gene shut
  door after only seconds, but male arrives immediately and inspects nest, followed quickly by female to sit on eggs.
10th July to 14th July Diane & Gene absent on holiday in East Yorkshire.
  15th July 10.45am chicks present, male feeding them and female coming to sit on them. Very wet again yesterday and today.
  17.10pm piece of egg-shell removed by female.
  18th July Weather wet. Parents in and out feeding chicks.
  19th July Weather wet. Parents in and out feeding chicks.
  20th July Weather wet. Parents in and out feeding chicks.
  21st July Chicks barely visible above edge of nest. Both parents feeding. Only female sitting on chicks. 11.20am another swallow
  on shelf, male, or young from first brood? 11.55am three birds visit nest. Seems likely that young from first brood
  do this and are permitted to do so. If so, is this a learning experience second brood chicks don't get? 4.30pm male
  seen removing poo.
  23rd July 11.00am at least three chicks visible. 6.45pm adult appears to remove material from beak of chick.
  24th July Chicks more easily visible. At least four distinguishable. Adults removing poo. 6.20pm a first brood swallow came to
  observe. 6.35pm one of first brood seen from outside perching on door. Possibly five chicks seen.
  25th July 2.45pm five chicks almost certainly visible. Bird of first brood walking around on shelf.
  27th July Five chicks confirmed. Chick seen to poo over side of nest.
  29th July Chicks grooming themselves. Distinctive plumage appearing.
  30th July Female head first at bottom of nest cleaning. Chicks beginning to stretch wings. Also competent at pooing. Adult
  removed poo directly from chick.
  3rd Aug Chicks growing rapidly. Poo removed from shelf by adult.
  4th Aug Chicks balancing precariously on nest edge, flapping wings. Nest very crammed. Much jostling, wing exercise and
  pecking.
  7th Aug 9.00am still five chicks on nest, but at 10.30am only two on edge. Two on ledge. Some flying around inside loo.
  11.15am all chicks in nest. 12.00pm only two on nest.
  8th Aug Chicks flying outside, but coming back inside regularly. 8.30am two seen perching on washing line, 3 metres approx.
  from loo door. 10.30am chicks and others from elsewhere swooping around, practising flying. All chicks and adult
  return to nest for night.
  9th Aug 11.00pm Chicks not at nest.
  10th Aug 8.00am one swallow on nest. 10.30am chicks on ledge, but not on camera. Adult visiting.
  12th Aug All swallows seem to have left the loo.
  15th Aug One swallow observed to enter loo mid afternoon. much twittering, for a few minutes, suggesting presence of other(s),
  then it left. Nothing on camera.
  16th Aug At least one bird seen on ledge, but not on camera, early evening.
  17th Aug Swallows flying in and out of loo in the morning.
  18th Aug Swallows flying in and out of loo in the morning.
  22nd Aug Swallows flying in and out of loo occasionally
  26th Aug Both nests checked for eggs. None. Two birds fly into loo onto ledge.

 The second brood of five seems to have hatched on 15th July and finally left the nest on 12th Aug, four weeks exactly, Friday to Friday. Despite D&G's worries, the nest was big enough for five. Swallows obviously know better than D&G when it comes to being swallows! Another brood is expected, but not until 2012.
13th September to 28th September Diane & Gene absent on holiday in Tenerife.
  On return from Tenerife the sky was swallowless, but at 4.00pm on 28th September a few were seen wheeling high above Croft Farm; a farewell fly-past, perhaps? Or were they house martins having D&G on? Next day, (29-9-11), the wheelers were positively identified as house martins. They were present at Threapland Lees on 4th October, at Adams Gill and other parts of Plumbland on 6th and 7th and over Croft Farm on 10th. After 10th October all hirundines had gone. Where? What is the southern hemisphere equivalent of D&G's outside loo? Also...what is the swallow equivalent of "Leap", as in "Year"? 'Cos they should leap back 19th April next year. But 2012's a leap year. What will swallow clock make of that?

Croft Farm Swallows Log Summer 2012

  13th April First swallow seen in Gilcrux. Possible sighting in Plumbland.
  18th April Swallows seen in Plumbland.
  20th April One swallow seen at East Curthwaite/Cumdivock.
  22nd April Approx 11am. 4 swallows flying north over Croft Farm.
  24th April Afternoon 2 swallows seen in Blindcrake. 4.45pm. one swallow seen briefly on telephone wires outside Croft Farm.
  25th April Early afternoon one swallow seen at Arkleby Mill.
  27th April 9.15am. 2 swallows on telephone and electricity wires outside Croft Farm. A few others seen too.
  On Camera in Outside Loo.
  27th April 11.30pm one swallow on East Corner Nest.
  28th April Swallow still on nest at 1.00am. Observed on shelf near nest at 10.30am.
  29th April Cold, windy. Wet in late afternoon. Swallow sheltering on nest before 6.00pm.
  30th April Windy, but sunny. Swallows around in pairs late afternoon. Swallow on East Corner Nest by 8.45pm.
  1st May More swallows around. Swallow on East Corner Nest overnight.
2nd May to 11th May Diane & Gene absent on holiday in Turkey.
Weather during absence and on return cold and wet.
  11th May Gene quickly inspects nests while swallows absent. Suspects significant changes to structures. Notices West Corner
  Nest "Patio" missing, suggesting its material added to principal nests. Swallow on East Corner Nest for night by
  8.20pm. At 9.00pm second swallow present on shelf by nest.
  12th May Two swallows visit nest in morning, female sitting on nest for short periods. At one visit removes a feather from nest.
  Gene quickly inspects nest while swallows absent. East Corner Nest has three eggs. "Patio" of West Corner Nest
  found intact, having fallen onto loo-protector sheet. This "extension" was in place before this year's arrivals, so has
  been deliberately removed. Why? In fact how? It would be like D&G removing the entire outside loo, in one piece, bare-
  handed! Nest photographs reveal only minor changes otherwise. Swallows visit periodically, female to sit on nest
  and, at one visit install a feather into nest. Both birds present on camera overnight.
  13th May Female on nest mid morning, then left. Gene checked eggs; four eggs. Very windy and cold. Late afternoon very wet
  too. Swallows absent all day. Will these eggs hatch? Female returned 6.30pm, left 7.00pm, back again by 7.20pm.
  Male on shelf shortly after.
  14th May Female on nest 6.40am. male visited 6.45am. Female sitting on nest at frequent intervals throughout day. Still cold,
  but less so than yesterday. Both swallows at nest overnight.
  15th May Weather still cool, less windy, quite sunny some of the time, mainly dry. Female sitting on eggs a lot, but also leaving
  to feed. Male visited occasionaly. Both birds at/near nest for the night.
  A 1 hour video was made between 11.45am. and 12.45pm. The female had just arrived at the nest at the start.
  She left the nest after 14 minutes 34 seconds, returning after 9 minutes 4 seconds away then left the nest a second
  time after a further 14 minutes 43 seconds. At the end of the hour she had not returned having been away for
  21 minutes 39 seconds. In this 1 hour sample the female was incubating for 29 minutes 17 seconds, close to 49%
  of the time. The male visited at 25 minutes 54 seconds for 1 minute 46 seconds.
  16th May Female incubating a lot, but leaving too. Male on camera at midnight and beyond.
  17th May Wet all day until evening. Female on nest. much of the time. Both birds present sometimes and both in for the night.
  18th May Dull and cool, but mostly dry. Female on nest much of the time.
  19th May Neither bird at nest until mid morning. Gene checked eggs, confirmed five. Remains cool. After 10.00am female
  mostly incubating. Both birds at nest overnight. Male remains next to nest, but outside it.
  20th May
  to 29th May Sunny. Female incubating much of the time, also fidgeting a lot and rumaging in nest. Male visits.
  30th May Cloudier and cooler. Early morning birds changed over, male guarding nest until female returned. Suspected chick
  present, confirmed by mid afternoon. Both parents feeding chick(s).
  31st May Wet until mid afternoon, then mixed and breezy. Two chicks seen. Both parents attending.
  3rd June Colder. Both parents feeding chicks. Male seen removing poo. Possibly three chicks.
  4th June Cooler, but sunny. Definitely three chicks.
  5th June Cool, cloudy and rainy. Possibly four chicks.
  6th June Wet, cool.
  6th June to 10th June Diane & Gene absent in Galloway, Scotland.
  10th June Evening. Chicks much bigger. Definitely four.
  11th June Both parents feeding four chicks, which are very active, stretching wings and preening.
  12th June
  & 13th June Same behaviour. Four chicks, but there were five eggs. Gene checked quickly for signs of abandoned chick, or egg.
  Found nothing.
  14th June Still only four chicks seen. Both parents feeding and removing poo. This is done on some sort of signal between chick
  and parent, immediately after feeding. The chick turns, points bum over edge of nest and the parent takes a spherical
  white mass as it emerges, carrying it off in its beak. Usually works well, but on one manoeuvre today the poo missed
  beak and landed on the ledge by the nest, from where the parent then removed it.
  15th June
  to 21st June Cool and cloudy, turning wet, then dry, but breezy, sunny and warm to 20th, then very wet. Four chicks still being tended
  by adults. Chicks very cramped, active and inquisitive. Barely room in nest. Pooing over side of nest, vigorous wing
  exercises hanging outside nest, pecking each other. Their eyes follow things, sometimes visible on camera, e.g. a
  small insect.
  22nd June Continuing from yesterday very heavy rain, see pictures in gallery above, showing the River Ellen at and near the
  bridge between Arkleby and Aspatria. Taken late afternoon, these show a taste of what was to come. The rain
  continued overnight and by noon on 23rd Gene could not have reached the place from which he took the photographs
  boatless. Croft Farm's swallow chicks left the nest and the loo on the morning of 22nd and launched straight into this
  storm. 6.45am three chicks in nest, one on ledge by nest. 7.05am rougue chick out of camera shot, adult feeding
  others, but also visits without food. 7.15am nest empty. Adult returns to nest, flies off, returns again, entices one chick
  back into nest with food. 7.25am nest empty again. 7.45am no birds on camera. Some chicks visible from outside
  through slot above door. They are on ledge. 7.50am one chick back in nest briefly. 9.15am no sign of chicks. 12.00pm
  three chicks on washing line, (see two in picture gallery above), one in nest. 2.30pm one in nest, three on top of door
  and washing line. 3.15pm three chicks in nest. Poo has changed in consistency. By dark some chicks in nest and a
  bird overnighting at side of nest. This might be an adult. An adult on nest overnight. After this time only three chicks
  seen together at any one time. Strong suspicion that one chick is missing. Weather was very bad all day with
  increasing winds.
  23rd June Still cool and breezy until mid afternoon, then more persistent heavy rain. Nest and loo empty in morning. Gene
  inspected loo. No sign of a dead chick, or unhatched egg. Two half egg shells on floor. Mid to late afternoon one chick
  returned alone and stayed asleep almost motionless in nest for the rest of the day. D&G wondered if this was the
  "missing" chick. It appeared to be exhausted. Adults and two more chicks returned around 8.00pm. Adult fed the chick
  already home several times, then all three chicks in for the night. Still cannot account for four chicks.
  24th June Showery, grey and breezy morning, sunny afternoon. Adults and chicks out all day, returned just after 8.00pm. Still only
  three chicks apparent.
  25th June Cloudy, but dry. 7.30am adult on washing line, nest empty. Birds out all day, back for the night.
  26th June Fine morning. 6.30am three chicks in nest. Two left nest, third left by 6.36am. Dry and warm to start, drizzle in late
  afternoon. Birds out all day. Chicks in by 9.00pm. 10.10pm chicks in nest, no adult. Adult returned 10.25pm.
  27th June Dull, warm and damp. 6.30am three chicks on nest. Adult came off camera, declined to feed chicks. Raining by
  7.00am. 7.40am chicks still in nest and at 8.10am, gone by 8.25am. Birds in for the night.
  28th June Wet all day, fine evening. Birds out all day. 10.50pm Two chicks perched on nest edge for night, could be hiding third.
  Another bird joined them later.
  29th June Very windy. Nest empty. At noon adult female went into nest, rumaging and sitting for a while. Occasional rain, wind
  very strong. Three chicks went into nest by 8.00pm. Later, when adult returned all perched on nest edge.
  30th June Wet, breezy start, mainly dry afterwards.Birds out all day. Chicks returned one at a time between 8.00 and 9.30pm.
  Adult returned later.
  1st July Very wet again. No chicks on nest at 8.30am. Diane & Gene absent ontil 4.00pm on 2nd July.
  & 2nd July Birds on nest for night.

  The first brood hatched on 30th May and appeared to finally leave the nest on 2nd July, four weeks and five days, Wednesday to
  Monday. The weather was generally poor, both arrival and breeding being later than last year. Four out of five eggs hatched
  successfully, but the chicks left the nest and building for the first time in a severe storm. Only three of the four chicks returned. The
  fourth was never seen again. As last year the birds switched to the West corner Nest for the second brood.

  3rd July Weather remains indifferent. Adults collecting nest material, entering loo, but not on camera. Suspect switching nests.
  Camera turned to West Corner Nest, both adults adding material. An adult swallow flew into the house and had to be
  rescued. Not one of Croft Farm's adults, they'd never make that mistake. Nest building all day with long rests.
  4th July 10.00am. both adults bringing material and adding it to nest. Wet on and off. Damp, but warm. Checked nest. No eggs.
  Turned camera back to East Corner Nest for the night. No birds stayed on that nest.
  5th July Dry. Moved camera onto West Corner Nest and closer.Bird sat on nest a few times. No birds on nest at night.
  6th July Wet all day. No birds on camera until evening, but none overnight.
  7th July Brighter day. Female visiting on and off. 11.30am. One egg.
  8th July Brighter again. Female in and out. Male also visits. Two eggs.
  9th July Grey, cooler, but calm. Three eggs.
  10th July Calm, but dull. Female coming and going. Very fidgety. Four eggs.
  11th July Dry, sunny in afternoon. Still four eggs. Female often on nest.
  12th July Sunny start, cloudy till noon. Sunny afternoon and evening. Still four eggs. Female sitting a lot.
  13th July Four eggs. Female incubating much of the time, but both adults visiting nest. Weather was mixed and variable, fine,
  to 23rd July warm and sunny at the start of the period, becoming dull, cool and breezy, then very windy and wet. 23rd was stormy
  with more flooding.
  24th July Wet and windy. Both adults visiting. Female very active on nest. Around 2.10pm female removed two separate egg
  shells just minutes apart. Appears to take these well away from the area. Chick(s) just visible when she left. Male
  visited almost immediately, also appeared to return with food. 5.40pm large white object removed, possibly another
  egg shell.
  25th July Sunny.
  26th July Dull, damp until later in the evening. At least one chick distinguishable.Both adults feeding chicks. Possibly two chicks
  visible at times. Male appeared to remove material from the shelf to the right of the nest before leaving on two
  occasions.
  27th July Sunny, breezy. Both adults feeding chicks, which are still very small. Female removed small "poo"(?) ball and other
  "rubbish". One parent ate something small and white from a chick.
  28th July Cool, breezy, showery. At least two chicks seen. Large feather brought into the nest. Poo and other stuff removed. Both
  parents feeding chicks. Insects, some as large as earwigs, crawling around, in and out of nest, eaten by adults when
  detected. There is some evidence to suggest that more than one "adult" female is attending. One of first brood?
  29th July Cool, breezy, showery. Three chicks discernable. The nest looks an untidy mess with bits of feather, straw, etc. sticking
  up inside. Poo and other material removed. Insects around, eaten by adults, but one chick seemed to have one in its
  beak, removed by adult. Chicks vigorously active, adults too when attending, constantly rummaging in bottom of nest,
  between chicks, which get pushed around a lot. Nest material being moved around. Large feather removed from nest
  by adult. Possibly four chicks seen. Brighter later in afternoon.
  30th July Cool, grey, showery in morning, bright, breezy in afternoon. Much feeding and sitting with chicks, which are now more
  easily seen when feeding, as they rise above the nest edge. Definitely four chicks present. Chicks appear to regurgitate
  white material for removal by adults, but it isn't easy to make this out.
  31st July Sunny until late afternoon, wet again by early evening. Usual routine feeding etc. by adults. Female on nest with chicks
  tries to remove a large feather which is attached at one side of nest. Repeatedly pulls it until it stretches right across
  nest. Finally disappears when not being observed. Chicks noticeably bigger. Stubby wings discernable.
  1st Aug Cloudy but calm. 10.30am adult bird flying around in loo, but not at nest. Chicks react by opening beaks expectantly. Was
  this bird an intruder, or one of the first brood coming to inspect? Unlikely to be one of the parents. One chick appeared to
  regurgitate white waste material on nest edge, removed by adult at next visit. Difficult to tell from which end this material
  is being ejected. More evidence needed. Still bits of nest material, (strands of straw, etc.) sticking up inside nest. Can be
  seen between chicks sometimes.
  2nd Aug Fine and sunny. Chicks just about permanently visible above nest edge.
  3rd Aug Sunny first thing then cloudy. During one chick's pooing action large feather dislodged from nest and fell over side.
  4th Aug Fine morning then very wet and thundery afternoon. No wind. Dry late afternoon/evening. Chicks now very downy features
  recognisable. Chicks almost fill nest.
  5th Aug Cloudy calm showers.
  6th Aug Cloudy windy showers. Adults absent for long periods (poor weather?) Chicks beginning to stretch wings. Eyes and
  "faces" now recognisable.
  7th Aug Cloudy.
  8th Aug Warm and sunny. Chicks growing well, stretching wings preening etc. Chick pooed over nest onto shelf. Adult removed
  poo at next visit.
  9th Aug Warm and sunny. Wing flapping exercises beginning. Adult visited without feeding chicks.
  10th Aug Weather good. Hot, sunny.
  11th Aug Weather good. Hot, sunny. Chicks very big, very active. Exercises in nest stretching and flapping wings.
  12th Aug Dull, but mainly fine and dry.
  13th Aug Dull again. Dry. Nest very crowded. Vigorous wing exercises perched on nest edge.
  14th Aug Overcast, still, warm. Just a few showers. Nest crowded. 9.00am one chick has been out of nest, returns, others react
  as to an adult with open beaks. 9.20am one chick walking around on shelf then sitting below nest, then back into nest.
  9.55am one chick appears to fly back to nest, others react as to an adult. 10.15am only one chick on nest. 10.20am last
  chick leaves nest. Two,or more chicks seen from outside on shelf away from nest. Adults flying in. Chick seen on top of
  door, then goes back inside. Later three seen on shelf from outside and one on shelf briefly on camera. All four chicks
  back on nest by 10.50am bickering. Adults continue feeding often lingering on shelf afterwards. 12.45pm one chick flies
  back to nest. At one point adult feeds to chick something picked up from shelf. 1.50pm three chicks left nest. Remaining
  chick appeared to be fed by a retuning chick. All chicks on nest by 2.15pm remaining for rest of afternoon.
  15th Aug 7.45am nest empty. At least two chicks on shelf. Later chicks flying around outside. 9.10am Gene checked inside loo.
  Nest and shelf appeared empty but one remaining chick low down near floor flew out. Later a single chick appeared on
  washing line directly outside bathroom window. It remained there alone without going anywhere for more than an hour.
  After that adults and others appeared. One bird probably an adult tried twice to push it off the line in encouragement then
  fed the chick. The other three chicks eventually joined the lone chick, staying for some time, one in particular. Adults
  feeding chicks. At one point a fifth chick appeared and seemed to be chased off by an adult. By 11.30am the "loner"
  chick finally moved with two others to a higher line (flagpole) a few feet away shortly after to TV ariel. Much flying around
  later. Heavy rain late afternoon for two hours. 7.00pm many swallows flying around madly, chicks following adults. Later
  chicks back on line being fed. A non-adult (no tail streamers) but non-chick (dark mature beak) attended for a while,
  possibly one of the first brood. 7.40pm three chicks in nest one on line. Still being fed in nest. 8.00pm all four chicks in
  nest for the night.
  16th Aug Fine weather, breezy with occasional shower. Swallows flying around outside. Four chicks on wires at front of Croft Farm
  though one chick seems separated from others. Being fed by adults. Another bird attended not an adult. Possibly a
  chick from the first brood. Chicks returned to nest for night at 7.45pm. When chicks at nest at night difficult to see their
  number. Three accounted for, fourth assumed.
  17th Aug Heavy rain, giving way to grey, windy, drizzly, showers, then wet and windy evening. Chicks inside on shelf viewed from
  outside when raining. Adults visiting. Chicks in nest for the night.
  18th Aug Wet and windy morning, fine sunny mid afternoon onwards. Chicks out all day, back on nest for night at 8.10pm.
  19th Aug Wet morning, fine later in afternoon. Birds out for the day, but some heard, but not seen, on camera, or from outside, in
  loo. Chicks back on nest for the night.
  20th &
  21st Aug Mostly dry, breezy and bright.
22nd Aug Very wet and windy, then dry, breezy and cool. Chicks not in loo for the night, nor thereafter, though birds occasionally
  seen flying in briefly during the day. Weather continued poor with a few better days.

4th September to 11th September Diane & Gene absent in Ibiza.

  Swallows seen near Croft Farm on 11th September and in decreasing numbers up to 28th September. 1st October at least one
swallow seen, apparently with house martins. 2nd October one bird seen, either a swallow, or a house martin. The second brood of four chicks hatched 24th July and were not returning to the nest after 19th August. During the final days at the nest it was almost always possible to detect only three chicks. Perhaps, as with the first brood, only three chicks survived. This Cumbrian summer has been the wettest Diane & Gene can remember in 30 years.
28th Nov Dead swallow chick found behind gas cylinder when cleaning loo.