swallow nests

["Jo Wieneke" <>]

I've heard of Welcome Swallows nesting on a ferry that ran somewhere on the 
Hawkesbury River NSW.  Apparently the parent birds would follow the ferry all 
day feeding their young which fledged successfully.  On Magnetic Island a pair 
once nested on our boat  - on the radio about 6 inches below the deck in the 
forward cabin. The heat there, during the summer nesting period would have 
easily exceeded 45degrees C and the eggs were often left unattended.  I often 
wondered how the eggs and chicks survived such extreme heat.

Jo Wieneke
Townsville