Swift Half SWIFTS update - 3rd May 2011

• Significant activity in the roof today - so this will be a long update!
• I made the decision last night (Monday 2nd May) to only record activity in the nest for the time being at least, between 0600hrs and 0900hrs in the morning (when our pair are most likely to mate) and then again in the evening (when they tend to come "home between 1730 and 1930 hrs, with feathers for the nest). A mistake I think!
• At 0850 hrs this morning, a third (adult) swift flew straight into the nest space - and caused mass scuffles and screams in the nest (see my latest video update HERE).
• Many odd things about this - our pair normally have left the roof by 0845hrs at the latest - but this morning they seemed very errr.... "happy" with each other - wing fluttering like crazy, preening each other - and appearing to at least try and mate. This morning though, they certainly had not left by 0850hrs or even 0900hrs (when I stopped recording) and didnt look like they were about to leave for the day when the third bird turned up.
• Secondly - the third bird seemed to know exactly what it was doing - coming in at about the right time for a first visit (or return?!) after an overnight migration -no shilly-shallying about outside the roof, no "banging" and "screaming" at the entrance hole (many young swifts - males often, fly in groups of "bangers", literally flying at nest-entrance holes (causing some damage sometimes) and screaming. It just flew straight in - and turned right (not left for the sparrows nest). It can't have even heard or seen the pair inside - quite often a catalyst for the "bangers" to aggressively explore the entrance. It knew where it was going.....
• Thirdly - the third bird didn't scream and shout when it faced down the pair - it appeared to be quite confused that there were two birds already there!
• So. What gwan?
• Was this third bird a returning adult from last year - just a little late. (We had a significant influx of swifts over Berkshire today - the first big numbers of the season).
• Was it the returning adult female or male, if that indeed was the case?
• If that is the case - who are the "pair" that have been together in the roof - preening each other, bringing feathers back, and looking very much "the couple". Did we have an imposter originally?!
• Or was this third bird, just a clued-up and cheeky "banger", just trying its luck?
• Or was this third bird born three or four years ago, at "Swift Half" (before we lived here) and has returned to chance its luck?
• We may (will) never know I guess. My DVD recorder automatically stopped at 0900hrs (terrible timing!) and at that point, I think there were three swifts still in the nest (watch the video and even though its difficult to make out - judge for yersels - generally when a swift leaves the nest, the strip of sunlight at the back of the nest disappears for a couple of seconds, as light is blocked by the leaving swift's body).
• As I type this - two birds are back in the nest - but interestingly enough, neither brought feathers back (and they tend to do so (both)). Both birds are a little "screamy" tonight also - much more so than normal.
• Are these our original pair (from the past few days). I guess so, but maybe not.
• Is the lack of mating on camera, but certainly a few awkward attempts, proof that we did indeed have an infertile youngster originally in the nest for the past few days. (I doubt it).
• Is the wing-fluttering I've recorded, a sign that one of our "pair" from the last few days, a young bird, instead of a sexually-active female - a young bird still behaving like a subordinate youngster?
• So many questions and I have no answers  - if any swift "experts" are viewing this video and this blog - please let me know.
• Anyway grapple-fans. I'll keep watching - and recording - and we'll see what happens eh?!