Swallows nested in the barn, have 4 fledglings all on the wing now. Hoping for a second nest now.
Haven’t seen any swifts but haven’t looked, must get the binoculars out, years since I’ve seen a scream.
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The housemartins are running amok at one end of the village street.
They’re raising their young in the nests under the eaves of the school, the post office and the Mairie. They come back year after year.
These last few days we’ve stood quietly by, as they land in groups on the tarmac road, presumably they’re finding something of interest (insects?)
Swifts are swirling non-stop in the skies at the other end of the street. Fascinating to watch 'em. They seem to be drawn to the house opposite ours… they disappear under one side of the roof and reappear from another.
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so, if you spot a snake…
just look it straight in the eye 
and you’ll know if it’s a bad-guy (vipere) or a friend 
keep safe
Leave the leaves
When trees shed their greenery, resist the urge to rake them up: leaf litter is a crucial habitat. Researchers have found that raking up leaves reduces moth and butterfly numbers by 45%, beetles 24%, and spiders up to 67%. Save yourself the trouble, and let the leaves lie.
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We watched about 50 pipistrelles fly out from under the roof apex yesterday evening. We didn’t see them last summer but before that there didn’t seem to be so many! Presumably there are enough insects to support the even though we see so few around. It sounds as though they are roosting right above our bedroom, noisy lodgers they are too 
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I’ve never seen so many bats snuggled behind our bedroom shutters. Easily 30 of them, shoulder to shoulder, all staring straight at me as I do my daily “rollcall”.
In fact, the sun was so bright in my eyes, that I had to put my face really close to the edge of the wall/shutter and ended up almost nose to nose with 'em… 
For some reason they’re all crushed in behind just one of the shutters, leaving the other deserted… 
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…I finally managed to catch sight of these lovely birds whilst working on the scaffolding way way hight above the tree canopy…fantastic call and reminds me bird song in the jungle.
Eurasian Golden Oriel
There’s also a bunch of bats in our caves…not pipistrelle but a wee bit bigger.
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They are wonderful, aren’t they. Often hear round here, only seen twice in the 18 years we’ve been here.
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…my twitcher friend told me to spot them high up on a tree top where they will be singing…and he was right 
We used to have horseshoe bats behind the shutters as well as the pips… but not seen 'em for a few years.
and Dracula lived in our cellar … hanging upside down, almost at my head-height as I went down the cellar steps… huge black thing, his wings crossed over his body … aaaargh…
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Lucky indeed ! Usually, we get just a fleeting glance of them when they fly from tree to tree across an open space, otherwise they’re calling out above our heads in the tops of the oak trees.
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…well, their song so wonderful and with a good set binoculars, and luck, perhaps this year you will see them
Went for a walk in the forrest above us yesterday early morning and the birdsong was overwhelming. I took a recording on my phone using the BirdNet app. It gave me Golden Oriole, Nightingale, Songthrush and Swift ?. I didn’t believe the Swift as I was in dense deciduous woodland. It was magical twittering at it’s best.
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…yes, magical…
We have them, and saw them several times when our cherries were in full production - perched at the top of the tree, scoffing their hearts out.
My neighbour told me that they have the ability to fly carrying a cherry in their beak, one in each claw and one under each wing….but I think he was joking…
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Found this baby blackbird sitting under a baking sun out in the open in front of my workshop - don’t know how long it’s been lying there. It was very still with its beak pointing to the sky with eyes closed. Blackbirds have nested up in the eaves of the workshop over the years so suspect this baby fell from there – can’t fly, no tail feathers and is still very much partly bald. Doesn’t appear injured and will flap its wings and chirp. A fledgling so may eat if encouraged.
I tried to feed it some soaked cat biscuit with my fingers and its beak opened wide and I popped one in, but it won’t open its beak again – maybe doesn’t like the taste. Website recommended cat croquettes and I know that blackbirds have been feeding their young with croquettes from the cat bowl.
When it’s cooler I’ll find a safe spot near the workshop and keep an eye on it – hopefully mum or dad will communicate.
If not, I’ll keep the little thing indoors overnight, try to feed it again, and if still alive in the morning will go get a pair of tweezers asap. Darn!
***Just tried feeding it again in front of the airconditioner- a lot cooler there - and it reponded with open beak and some loud chirping! Hopefully it’ll be a happy ending, one way or another, hopefully!
***A lot more feeding taking place, chirping and a poop, so has been fed recently. Looking good.
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Feeding baby blackbirds. I’m using a cat pill popper. Squeeze a soaked cat croquette dry into a lozenge shape and insert into nozzle. Tap the bird’s beak and in it goes.
According to helpwildlife.co.uk, baby blackbirds and the young of other species leave the nest before they can fly. Which means that they keep hidden in undergrowth and keep in contact with parent birds by cheeping.
Got plenty of undergrowth in front of the workshop so will find a safe shady place - preferably in my old bird cage - until I see a parent bird showing interest. The local blackbirds know me so hopefully won’t be disturbed by my presence.
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Usually they are making a frantic noise when they realise one of their brood is missing / in danger. We heard a distressed parent many years ago and investigated to find the fledgling had got inside a plastic bag,
I’ve just seen a parent bird in the undergrowth and a whole lot of screeching. which stopped fairly quickly as I watched and heard the sound of a bigger bird flying away! Not sure what was going on there, but I saw a fledgling much bigger than the one I have, and much more agile, jumping and flapping across some bramble. My little one can only just about hop out of the nest I’ve made. Will see what happens tomorrow.
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