Swallows have always nested at Airds.   Highly determined birds, and acrobatic fliers, they generally find nesting places in roofs, where any piece of material forms a slight ledge.

Here, a brood of swallow fledglings perch on a nest in one of our outbuildings.  Instinctively able to fly from the nest, these tough little birds have little fear of humans.

The birds migrate to warmer climes during the winter, but return to find their place of origin to bred in the following year.

It is quite difficult to keep them out of buildings that they have nested in on previous years as they will use any small hole to gain access.

Our new extension was roofed over in the spring of 2003.  Within days, two pairs of swallows had moved in and insisted in building a nest in the new roof.  We have allowed them to raise their families, but have warned them that access will not be permitted next year.  The 2003 brood is shown below just before departure.

This page is provided for information and interest to visitors to the AIRDS FARM GUESTHOUSE WEBSITE.   Airds Farm offers comfortable bed and breakfast and self-catering accommodation for visitors to Dumfries & Galloway in south west Scotland.   For information on accommodation please visit our Bed and breakfast page or for self-catering our Airdside self-catered cottage page.   Our homepage is Airds Farm.