Departing for a long haul.

I arrived home this evening from the forge to hear the familiar sound of Swallow’s being fed. We get so use to them being around during the summer that we almost go deaf to the sound, but this time I stopped and looked. It seemed rather late in the year for Swallow’s. Surely they have all gone?

Not this lot. The mother and father were busy swooping and plunging through the air. There seemed an urgency in the way they were working, catching the last of the summers fruit.  Three rather large fledglings were sitting on the roof trusses eagerly awaiting their next meal. This was fast food in style!

I must admit that they do look like they are almost ready to depart. They did not take kindly to me looking up at them and scattered off to join the parents in the air.

I am almost willing them to go now that the nights are getting colder. I do hope that they have a good journey and have built up enough body weight to carry them the distance . According to Google Maps, Suffolk to South Africa is 10,720 miles. Not bad for a bird the weighs only 20g!