In the morning, I found the same chick on the floor again—dead this time. It looked the same as the day before—no sign of further development— which informed me that the chick had likely died soon after I had placed it back in the nest. A few hours later, I found another chick on the workshop floor. This one was more developed than the first but lifeless.
The nest went from three chicks to just one in less than a day. I made sure to check the workshop floor every hour after I found the second dead chick. The sole survivor appeared oblivious to the fate of its siblings and leaned precariously over the edge of the nest throughout the day.
Around six o’clock, I noticed it had also fallen to the floor (an approximately two-meter drop). Like the first swallow chick, it had survived the fall. I returned it to the nest and took a moment to study the structure the swallows had built. Though an impressive feat of engineering, the nest lacks the depth needed to keep the chicks safe. I observed a similar nest issue with a pair of black redstarts in the same building a few years ago.
Although adult swallows continued to feed the youngster after I had returned it to the nest, my optimism concerning the swallows has all but evaporated. I have a feeling that more misfortune will greet me in the morning.
On a more positive note, the four young storks are all practicing their flying. I see them circling in the sky with their parents throughout the day.