RT1nestcam2009partone

[taxonomy:binomial=Riparia riparia]
The four videos from the RT1 nestcam in 2009 have been used for scenes in our other videos, but this was an interesting year in many respects. It was the second earliest for a hole to be occupied in the colony for a season and it was occupied for the longest time in a season. The female left the first brood, (this is not unusual) or was taken. A female usurper was very persistent and attacked the 4 young of the first brood, stripping skin and feathers from them. When the male accepted her for a second brood she was, apparently, barren, and wasted a whole brood period before another female arrived to drive her, and keep her, from the hole. There were five young in her brood and all fledged successfully. However, no young fledging in September had ever been found breeding at a colony in the Study area, or anywhere else, during the fieldwork part of our Adviser's Study. There is an indication in this video that a Sand Martin is capable of identifying another Sand Martin by taste. The assumption is that what appears to be vigorous preening, or an attack, is carried out to elicit a call (which can be identified) from the victim.
[taxonomy:binomial=Riparia riparia]