I have a swallows nest in my shed which I've been watching like a hawk (pardon the pun) Its just been so fascinating waiting for the 4 eggs to hatch and for the little babies to grow and take flight which they just did over the past few days.
Now last night the 4 little birds were perched up on an arch beside the shed but out in all the rain with no shelter. The parent birds were in the shed. I was so worried about them I decided to try and catch them and put them into the shed. When I went near them and put my hand up there was no movement so I reckon they must have been asleep so I took three of them very carefully and put them into the shed, the fourth must have awoken and disappeared into the night. Now they were probably a bit distressed at being moved and flew around a bit before they settled but sadly one of them flew out and whatever happened I found him dead outside later on the ground, maybe he hit off something.
I was very disappointed as I had been watching them all day yesterday around the place. Now I'm wondering should I just have left them out in the rain or would it have done them any harm.
Other years the young would have come back into the shed each night and perch there so I was surprised that this did'nt happen this year.
Now last night the 4 little birds were perched up on an arch beside the shed but out in all the rain with no shelter. The parent birds were in the shed. I was so worried about them I decided to try and catch them and put them into the shed. When I went near them and put my hand up there was no movement so I reckon they must have been asleep so I took three of them very carefully and put them into the shed, the fourth must have awoken and disappeared into the night. Now they were probably a bit distressed at being moved and flew around a bit before they settled but sadly one of them flew out and whatever happened I found him dead outside later on the ground, maybe he hit off something.
I was very disappointed as I had been watching them all day yesterday around the place. Now I'm wondering should I just have left them out in the rain or would it have done them any harm.
Other years the young would have come back into the shed each night and perch there so I was surprised that this did'nt happen this year.