At Nam Wa Po Tsuen, Tai Po - where I live - I saw what I presume to be the first returning breeding Barn Swallow on February 9th. On February 13th there were two Barn Swallows over the village, and on the 14th I saw three birds, including one bird collecting mud from the local streamside. One of these birds flew into a fully-formed nest - I assume it was adding mud to patch up a nest used by swallows last season, rather than adding the finishing touches to a completely new nest.
Dave
