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Spain
Now living in l'Olleria, south of Valencia

Monday 9 June 2008

Sitting Tenants


We have got squatters in the pool house. A pair of ‘barn swallows’ have built a house against one of the beams in the roof. This year I don’t really mind, as the place is not finished, but I certainly don’t want them there next year!

They have been flitting around getting little bits of wood and straw, then going to the soft soil/mud, and making a mix to hold everything together. I sat outside, very still, and they took little notice of me, concentrating instead on the work in hand.

Max sat next to the pool house watching them… out of the poolhouse, down to the ground, fetch a stick, go to the puddle, make a paste, back to the poolhouse, out of the poolhouse… His little head was going round and round!

I’m not certain how soon they will lay, but the eggs take 14 – 18 days to hatch, then we will watch mum and dad feeding the babies, before they fledge.

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