Start making your mud pies now

steephill

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/05/mud-water-to-help-nesting-migrating-birds-during-uk-heatwave-rspb-aoe Certainly around here it is bone dry and the ground is rock hard. We don't have house martins or swifts locally but all the other birds appreciate the water as do bees.

barry island

A couple of years ago birds were pecking my apples and damaging them so that wasps were feeding on the wounds, when I looked this up I found that the birds weren't feeding from the apples but were thirsty for liquid if there had been a water source close by my apples they may not have been attacked.

Fairygirl

No problem for them here.  
Fortunately the recent weather has been ideal for collecting mud, as the swallows have appeared earlier than usual. 

Buttercupdays

The swallows never have a problem here either!

They've got even more mud than usual, as my 'labourers' are working on the ponds now. They are building a stone wall to support the bank of the big pond and will use the silt from the small pond, which needs digging out, to fill in between the stones. Small pond drained already, but the stream still runs through the middle.

alexryzawlskiqBU-X4OF

Just want to say something about the article... Mud is used by swallows and house Martins for thir nests but don't expect swifts like it says to be landing to gather mud. Swifts only land to nest in crevices and boxes. They collect all nest material on the wing. If you see a grounded swift it's probaly in danger. By all means though continue providing water and mud for swallows and house Martins. Oh and don't forget the mason bees.