Swallows are regular annual visitors to our stable block which is next to the yurt camp.  This year is no exception and yesterday evening I was treated to a fabulous aerial display from these amazing birds, whilst  I was waiting for our latest guests to arrive for their yurt stay. The swallows were diving into the yard and up onto the beams inside each stable where they are repairing and rebuilding the nests from last year.  Its truly amazing that these tiny birds return to the same nest sites year after year having spent the winter in Africa.  We were also treated to a spectacular display above our lake when we could spot not only the swallows but the house martins and swifts all at the same time.  The House martins have not yet returned to last years nests on the outside or our house this spring, although we have spotted them in the skies in the vicinity.  One way of telling the difference between the swallows and the house martins is  that Swallows nest inside buildings and House Martins nest on the outside of buildings.  we are very lucky that the yurt camp is a perfect place to spot a large variety of wild birds such as swallows, house martins and swifts, pheasants, thrushes, blackbirds, wood pigeons and also several species of water fowl on the lake, Canada Geese, Moor hens, Tufted Ducks and many mallards.

Well our hens were correct in anticipating the onset of gorgeous sunny weather.  This morning has seen a beautiful sunny day in the yurt camp, with the arrival last week as predicted of 2 gorgeous buff orpington chicks.  Andrew our cockerel has produced another 2 fine specimens and these two chicks are being looked after by two rather proud hens.  Its amazing how they only stay little for such a brief period of time.  Chicks take approximately 6 months to reach maturity and they only stay small and fluffy for approximately 2 - 4 weeks, when they have already started forming their adult feathers.  They transform from a rather ugly half feathered chick into the fully grown adults by around 16 - 20 weeks and they start laying or crowing around the same time.  The weather men have predicted that May will be a lovely dry month so our guests will be having the very best of weather whilst staying here.