Chirpy council chappies over new arrivals

By Ron Cant

THERE’S has been a lot of tweeting from Carmarthenshire council’s transport offices in recent weeks.

A couple of love struck swallows were not prepared to go on Carmarthenshire council’s housing waiting list before raising a brood so they turned to transport services instead.

They have made their arrivals and departures birthing lounge high on service pipes outside the transport manager’s office door at Parc Myrddin, Carmarthen, and successfully raised their first brood of the summer there.

Four fledged the nest at the weekend and staff at the busy transport office have been so taken by the surprise maternity suite created on their threshold they are hopeful the proud parents will raise a second brood there.

Transport manager Stephen Pilliner said: “It has been wonderful to be greeted every morning over the last few weeks by this chirpy family. Staff have been tweeting the news to all and sundry.

“They youngsters were even popping their heads up when the enforcement officers were around when most people duck for cover!”

The nest has been beautifully constructed using mud very likely from the banks of the Towy. Swallows collect mud in their bills and often mix it with grass stems to make pellets. They first construct a small shelf to sit on, then build up the nest’s sides. The birds line the cup first with grass, then feathers. When reusing nests, Barn Swallows clean out old feathers and add new mud to the nest’s rim.

They have started doing this at Parc Myrddyn raising hopes that the second brood will soon be installed.

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SWEET TWEET: Chirpie Chappies get the tweeting habit before quitting the council’s transport office departure lounge. Pic: Jeff Connell.