Leaving the nest

The first swallow fledgelings of the summer left their nest in the roof above Ritz's stable in the middle of last week. After a day or two of flying lessons they now only come 'home' to sleep and, in a few days's time, they won't even be doing that.
It's interesting to watch the parents teaching the young ones to leave the security of the beam: they fly in as usual with food but, instead of passing it to the little ones, they fly past and straight out again. Eventually the fledgelings realise the only way they are going to get anything to eat is to follow... and before they know it, they are out in the big wide world! Isn't nature wonderful....
The second brood hatched in the roof of Rocco's stable on Friday and are still at the early stage of being fed in their nest every few minutes. Rocco complains that they wake up and start chittering for food too early and are disturbing his beauty sleep - him being a film star and all...
Meanwhile, the blackbird in his stable is on her third brood; between each 'family' she refurbishes her nest - which is now assuming 'high rise' proportions ! I happened to be mucking out one day when she was doing this: I could hear her sucking and spitting as, presumably, she secured each new piece of nest material.
I can't work out whether she is a very tenacious, or a very stupid, bird. Her fledgelings invariably fall out of their nest on to Rocco's bedding where they spend a couple of days - if they are lucky - hopping around, being fed by mum whilst they gradually learn to fly.
If they are unlucky, which is the majority, the Bestest Gundog in all the World retrieves them when I am not looking and, though they are usually still alive when he brings them to me, their mother gives up on them as soon as they have left home........ or maybe she refuses to recognise them if they smell of something other than bird! The survival rate, therefore, is not high!

Meanwhile, two more of Delila's brood left us for their new homes last Thursday. Brandy and Whiskey have gone to Sacrewell Farm & Country Centre (http://www.sacrewell.org.uk/). They are too young to appreciate it, but they are pioneers in a way, being the first RectoryReserve curly coats to go out of the county! In fact, Whiskey decided it was all too much and buried her head under Brandy and in the corner!

The Farm is well established and specialises in catering to school parties so the piglets will not lack for visitors or attention. I doubt she'll keep her head buried for long!

We delivered them in the back of the car on Friday, just in time to be one of the "New" attractions for the Annual Open Day this weekend. For the first few weeks they're going to be living in a lovely old pole barn but eventually they'll be outside with the other animals - notably a large number of Shire horses, but also goats and sheep and ducks and chickens and peacocks and a couple of mature saddleback pigs...... whose peace will be shattered when these little diggers move in........ This old lady doesn't realise it, but she'd best get as much sleep as she can before that happy day.....