The Lesser Striped Swallow (Cecropis abyssinica) visits annually and has chosen our home as a site to build theirs. Last year, the pair only managed to make half a nest, making us wonder if they were new to it. At first, they struggled to gain a purchase on the roof beams but the clever things incorporated the nest of Needle-waisted Paper Wasps (genus Belonogaster) into their design by using the wasps’ nest as a foundation. This year, the pair returned and raised three chicks! Below is one of the chicks (almost indistinguishable from the adults) showing off its stripes, as well as the nest.
