Barn Swallows - New barn Swallow Chicks born in Finland

New Barn Swallow Chicks in Finland

By Risto Jäntti

Yesterday (July 22) I found on the lawn the first barn swallow eggshell since the squirrel´s destructive visits. The eggshell looked like it is supposed to look, a neat eggshell half that is quite clean inside. That tells that the hatching was normal. Having found that eggshell I went into the barn and immediately knew from the barn swallows´ behaviour which nest had new chicks: a swallow landed on a nest, bent over it and started calling very softly. There is another call that resembles that new-chicks call: it is used by the swallow parents when they encourage their newly fledged chicks outdoors, but it is a bit stronger. I am so relieved knowing that the swallows´ trials to nest again are bearing fruit!

The weather has been very warm, even hot: almost 30 deg centigrade with high air humidity that makes the weather almost unbearable for me. Plunging into the lake does not help much because also the water is warm. Having risen from the water you will soon start swetting again. The weekend will be a bit cooler but then the temperature will start rising again. Well, in January one does not need to swet because of the heat outdoors (sometimes because of the heat indoors if the wood-heated traditional baking oven has been often used)...

This time of summer is so wonderful due to the abundance of swallows: Barn Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins and sometimes even Swifts (the Tar Swallow in Finnish) fly with their chicks filling the air and constantly calling each other. I do not know where the Sand Martins are nesting but they appear every July over our yard.

Regards

Risto