Take off

Stressful times. The latest brood of swallows are leaving the nest and things are highly-charged. As far as I can see there are five of them and they've all passed their basic flying test - they can get around inside the garage, but haven't as yet ventured outside.

It has a number of downsides for us. For a start there's the poo issue. While the chicks are in the nest a strategically placed seed tray catches the droppings, which can then go onto the compost heap.

Now though the famous five keep moving around inside the garage and under each temporary perch there's a scattering of swallow poop. Then there's the problem of over-protective-parents; whenever I go anywhere near the garage it's like a re-enactment of the Battle of Britain, with lots of angry twittering and low-level runs at my head.

It's worse for the cat. He seems very confused by the fact that he now has to dash for the cat door under sustained attack.

With a bit of luck the youngsters will soon move on to the next stage, going out into the big world during the day and only coming home at night to roost. Then life should quieten down a little for all of us.

Alarming afternoon

Photo: Martien Brand

I've spent much of the day tidying up the bit of garden around the pond. A useful way to pass the time you'd think, but it has earned me a near-constant scolding from our resident wrens.

The wren pair now have chicks to feed in their converted swallow nest in our garage roof and have been coming and going all day. But whenever a perceived threat appears they start up with their click-click-click alarm call and keep it up until the danger has passed.

Today's 'threat' has mostly been me because I've been coming and going close to the garage door. The wrens also seem to have a problem with the pair of swallows that are using another of last year's nests, a couple of feet from theirs.

Most of the time they ignore the swallows as they come and go, but from time to time a swallow arrives as a wren leaves (or vice versa) and the alarm call sounds. I've been keeping out of the garage as much as I can to try to keep things as calm as possible.

By the pond some of the lawn has been taken over by speedwell. It's a plant that usually rates as a weed, but I rather like its pale blue flowers and so cut the grass around it rather than strim it to oblivion.

I'm not sure which speedwell it is. Based on my field guide I think I'd plump for germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), or bird's eye speedwell.