We were thrilled and honoured when, at the beginning of June, a pair of house martins, along with two or three others which may have been last year's brood, began to build at nest at the top of the gable at the northern end of our house. It wasn't the best of choices - it's the end which is rather over-run with nosy house sparrows - but they worked hard and by the start of July....
....the structure looked complete. Then, on Tuesday, in some rather wet and windy weather, their carefully built nest collapsed, depositing....
....its lining, consisting of mud, dry, soft grass and feathers, and....
....three very fat chicks onto the ground.
Nothing daunted, the pair have begun to rebuild but, with our short summer slipping away, it will be a race against time if they are to succeed in rearing a second brood and fattening themselves up in time for the long autumn flight to Africa.
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