Three eggs

While writing the post beneath this one. I spotted three eggs.

It's time to come home, darling!

It's around sunset and while one bird keeps the eggs warm, the other flies around with it's mates. So what do you do: you yell at him to come in. It's enough for now. In the end you turn the eggs and settle yourself in breeding position. That's life for a common swift these days.

The big brooding has started

It seems that since friday may 25th the birds started brooding their eggs. Common swifts breed for about 20/21 days. Depending on the temperature outside it can take a bit longer. Last year, when it was cold and windy during this period, it took 23 days. So between june 13th and 16th we can expect the young swifts. How many is not easy to predict with thos couple of common swifts. Two years ago there where 2 eggs visible but there appeared 3 chicks. One egg was out of camera sight, deep in the nest. This time I spotted two eggs that are turned regular by one of the parents who keeps them warm. If someone spot three eggs, let me know. In 2006 they had three eggs. Only one young survived the nestperiod and left for Africa. The other two died within a day or ten.

These are rather dull times on the nest. At daytime we will see one bird on the nest and after sunset they will be both on the nest. Cosy together with their eggs. Looked at by many people all over the world. "Big Breeder" so to speak.
Thanks for watching!

..and then there where two...

Today the second egg is there.

Right on scedual: the first egg

This afternoon, the first egg was there in the nest. Exactly ten days after the return of this couple of swifts, just like last year. Swifts don't keep there egg's warm from the start. The start with it after all the egg's are layed. For the last two years this couple had three eggs. So let's wait a day or two...

nice and warm...

While the other returned swifts fly outside around the block, the two in this nest went early "to bed". There are over 20 swifts returned now to the colony. They are inspecting the houses for small gaps where they can find a place to make a nest. These two at the webcam seems very experienced. Although they left 9 months ago for Africa, they exactly seem to know the way to their old nest. Last year, 10 days after their return the first egg was there. This year they wehere a little late. I wonder when we can expect the eggs this time.

and then there where two...

This morning we spotted a second common swift in the nest.
Thanks to Geoff Beale for sending a note. So now there are two. The weather is cold, rainy and windy here at Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. So they stayed on the nest this morning. Resting and cuddeling.

He's back again!

Cheer! Willy Vermeersch from Blankenberge Belgium was the first to notice the return of the swift at the Aalsmeer Webcam nest. This morning around 10:00 am he was present for a short while. At 08:00 pm he came back again. He yelled at passing other swifts. Let's hope he invite one in. And lets hope he came back to stay. All others that warned me about this event, thanks!
Right at this moment he just walks out of the reach of the camera.

Is he tired of waiting?

For the third night in a row the Aalsmeer Swift webcamnest stays empty. It looks like our early friend (he arrived at april 19) is tired of waiting for it’s partner. In the year 2005 they arrived together on the same day. In 2006 there were two days between the arrival of both birds. This year it seems that the partner did not manage to arrive on time.

Appearantly there is no reason for the First bird to stay on the nest at night. Maybe it found another partner and moved to another nest. Maybe it sleeps on the wing until a new partner arrives.

The webcam stays online and I will inform you when it gets occupied again