The garden looked fresh and alive after two rainy days. I walked around in late afternoon sun and there were clumps and patches of bluebells everywhere.
The heady scent of Viburnum burkwoodii mixed with the soft perfume of bluebells.
The recent rain has been welcomed by those busy building their nests. Wet, muddy puddles in the fields
saw swallows collecting mud in their beaks, to repair and rebuild last year`s nests in readiness for this summer`s brood of chicks.
So far, only one pair of swallows has arrived home. It is so good to listen to their chittering chatter again, as they perch on the fence rails together and put the world to rights. The rain has encouraged clouds of midges and flies to hatch. The swallows swoop and dip over fields and muck heaps to catch their dinner on the wing.
Three more nests await their owners. Hopefully they will be with us again in the coming weeks.
12 comments:
I love the smell of bluebells! There's plenty over here, but sadly none in my garden. I know you can buy bulbs, but I'm not sure if they are British wild bluebells or some foreign cultivated sort, so my patch of wood remains bluebell free.
So envious of your beautiful swallows- I grew up with swallows in our stables and I miss them. Fingers crossed the other nests fill up soon...
Lovely photos, I saw my first swallows of the year (just 3 or 4!) last weekend.
I've been thrilled to see the swallows back too, although they don't nest with us - they have nests in the barns next door. They are my favourite birds. The bluebells are looking stunning here as well.
How exciting to wait for the return of the swallows. I would be totally distracted by them if they were on my property. Your garden looks very pretty.
swallows have a very special place in my heart. My Dad had swallow tattoos on his hands, done when he was in Hong kong doing National service. He died very suddenly aged just 61. I always felt him near and one day I was working in the garden, thinking about my Dad, and from the earth, dug up a fragment of broken china. When I turned it over, there was a perfect blue swallow. When my brother went to see his new home, they opened a stable door and a single swallow flew out. I like to think those were not coincidences.
Oh, your garden looks beautiful! In my next life, I shall live in the country, with a large garden. Meanwhile, I make do with my little patch. Sigh.
Your garden is looking wonderful and so spring-like. Love the bluebells - the scent from them after rain is just beautiful :)
I'm glad to hear your swallows are beginning to return. It must be great having them nesting on your property - I would be watching them all day :)
We saw our first swallows yesterday. The smell in your garden must be lovely! Sarah x
Whilst the Swallows are back here, our stable swallows haven't arrived yet. I will look out for them.
The bluebells in the woods here are stunning - the steep slopes are purple-blue with them and the perfume is amazing.
Have you had enough rain?
Terribly dry here, cracks in the ground in places.
oh I hope the rest of your swallows come back soon...
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