For the first time since we moved here we had a pair of swallows nest in our barn. They had a brood of 4-5 chicks but something dislodged the nest and we found only one youngster surviving which thankfully fledged the day after. They then set to and built another nest and this time there were 3 possibly 4 chicks hatched. Then disaster struck again! We heard a commotion and saw a number of swallows flying around frantically. We have no idea what the culprit was, but we found the nest on the ground and next to it, two dead chicks - one had been decapitated
![Sad :(](./images/smilies/icon_sad.gif)
. Also a bit later on we noticed that, in the panic, what turned out to be one of the pair had flown into the window and had been killed
![Crying or Very sad :cry:](./images/smilies/icon_cry.gif)
Such a shame for them to have gone to all that effort for nothing. Let us hope for better luck next year.
On a much happier note our neighbour has a pair that are just starting their third brood of the year having successfully raised at least 8 chicks. I have attached a beautiful photo that she took of the first brood earlier this year.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)