A return visit to a site I had discovered previously, near Stonehaugh, on the edge of Wark Forest in north west Northumberland where two pairs of Swallows were seen entering a rocky cave on a small hillside, revealed two nests, in one of which the birds appeared to be incubating eggs. The other unfinished.
This represents only the second recorded instance of the species using a natural site for nesting in the county, following a pair raising young from a sandy, cliff-side nest on Holy Island two years ago(IK.). Close by, other pairs are nesting at a farm in more traditional man-made sites where perhaps nest sites are at a premium, prompting these birds to use the cave. Nationally also, this behaviour is extremely rare, with very few recorded cases.
I will return to determine what breeding success, hopefully occurs.
Alan S. Jack
