The LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) think that swallow numbers have halved in the last few years, and they put this down to lack of winged insects, killed by pesticides. As swallows eat insects on the wing they struggle if there are less about and who knows if the swallows themselves have been affected by pesticides.
If you have swallows nests in your barn go onto the LPO site and put in the details.
As we were discussing the lack of swallows we wondered how many habitats had been removed by us doing up old barns and closing entrances that they may have used. We have two houses one of which has been pointed or jointed, the other has not. The number of insects, birds and animals that live alongside us in the unpointed house must be amazing. We have bees that have made a nest high in the walls, they do not cause us any problems and they are out in the garden fertilising the plants. Lizards, who risk the "cat chase" some now minus tails. Numerous little birds and if you remember the story about the dead rat, the odd rat, we have mice and spiders by the hundreds.The kestrels' holes were left especially for them and they have certainly been our most interesting guests (birds).
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