Who got the insect?

I visit Elbarr in Rogachevo most Sunday lunchtimes. The building is lucky enough to have 6 or 7 barn swallow nests. Even though there are always many people about the swallows don't seem to mind.


Some of the nests have already produced their first brood which have fledged and the people there tell me the adult couple usually produce a second brood. Some couples are not so advanced. One nest I saw last Sunday had birds who must have been on the verge of fledging. There was hardly enough room in the nest for them all! I think there were four birds or possibly five crammed into the nest. 

soon to be fledged barn swallow

One of the adult returned with some insects. I started filming the nest just after the adult left (this is a clue). So can you guess by watching the film which bird got all the insects?

film of barn swallows just after feeding

Spoiler gap follows

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Answer: it was the bird second from the left. Watch the start very closely, for a few moments you can see the others still have their mouths open even after the adult had left. He closed his mouth (so the others couldn't steal?) the moment he received his feed. If you continue to watch closely you can see he is eating.

The next blog has more village birds but concentrates on a family of golden oriole which I have finally worked out how to photograph without them flying a mile.   

After that (next week) I am  touring Bulgaria and the Danube delta of Romania so there will be blogs making up a full trip report. Come and see them!