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Our Baby Barn Swallows Are Ready To Leave

Seeral weeks ago I mentioned to someone that a wind came up and blew the baby swallows right out the nest. A few days later the "mom" I think it was the same one was back again. Yes, more eggs, more sitting, and here are five new little eggs. Now this nest is a work of art, it is on a lip of a ledge about one inch wide and she worked for days building this nest. Too me she could have found a better and safer place to build this nest; but every year for the last three years a swallow comes and constructs this work of art.

Hope you enjoy our pictures.

The Mama Barn SwallowThe Mama Barn Swallow

This nest is a work of art!

There are six subspecies of Barn Swallow, which breed across the Northern Hemisphere. Four are strongly migratory. and their wintering grounds cover much of the Southern Hemisphere as far south as central Argentina, the Cape Province of South Africa, and northern Australia.^[Its huge range means that the Barn Swallow is not endangered, although there may be local population declines due to specific threats, such as the construction of an international airport near Durban.

The Barn Swallow is a bird of open country which normally uses man-made structures to breed and consequently has spread with human expansion. It builds a cup nest from mud pellets in barns or similar structures and feeds on insects caught in flight.

This species lives in close association with humans, and its insect-eating habits mean that it is tolerated by man; this acceptance was reinforced in the past by superstitions regarding the bird and its nest. There are frequent cultural references to the Barn Swallow in literary and religious works due to both its living in close proximity to humans and its conspicuous annual migration

Posted by Carl & Ceil Winters on 05/28/2008 04:07 PM

Comments (14)

texas, birds, barn, new braunfels, canyon lake, active rain

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14 Comments on Our Baby Barn Swallows Are Ready To Leave

Howdy Carl and Ceil

Y'all sure have a nice looken Barn Swallow family there.

Barm Swallow's are very nice bird's, for sure. Lots of fun to watch them build there nest's.

You are very right that there nest's are a work of art, my friend's

Y'all got some really fine photos of them.

God Bless The U.S.A.

05/28/2008 04:43 PM

by Dale Baker, Home Inspector- in NH & VT (Baker Home Inspections and Consulting Service)

Dale - Yes they are busy, go from early morning until almost dark. It is amazing how quickly they grow. I have another that has been trying to build her nest in the garage, everyday I take her nest away and the next morning she's back again; very determined. They are very friendly little birds.

05/28/2008 05:29 PM

by Carl & Ceil Winters (Complete Inspection Service, New Braunfels, Texas 78133)

Howdy Carl and Ceil

Yes once they pick a place to build their nest, they will get it done one way or another.

You are very right that they are very friendly little birds.

God Bless The U.S.A.

05/28/2008 06:52 PM

by Dale Baker, Home Inspector- in NH & VT (Baker Home Inspections and Consulting Service)

What a cool nest. We just found a nest of some sort in one of our hanging planters on our front porch. I think I saw 3eggs. We are excited to see what happens next.

05/28/2008 07:00 PM

by Rob Muller - ABR, ASP, RCC, CNHS, LREA Cherokee County Real Estate (ReMax Town & Country)

Rob - It is really nice to observe nature in the making. We live on a little over four acres. We have alot of birds and always seem to find a few nest every spring that we pay special attention..like the one on the patio ledge. I tried to get a close up of the nest, it really is beautiful by design. The baby birds grow very quickly, one left today and I suspect by the weekend the rest will be gone.

Thank you for your comment.

05/28/2008 07:28 PM

by Carl & Ceil Winters (Complete Inspection Service, New Braunfels, Texas 78133)

Carl & BWP, I just love my barn swallows, they are amazing to watch fly doing those aerobatics at mock speed and catch a tiny bug in mid air. Very gentle, nice birds. I have them here and at the lake house of course. The ones here first came about 5 years ago, they built a nest in a covered area right at my back door. That was before Thor died and I had 3 cats, and live in a subdivision??? Sure glad they did. Here's some pictures of my "babies". Liz

baby birds birds

birds baby birds

I have some better ones, but can't find them right now, will send some more later. Hugs, Liz

05/29/2008 02:14 AM

by Liz Carter,Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston) (Liz Carter & Team Realty-Top Realtor in Katy & Houston Texas)

Liz - Aren't they amazing? That is the first thing Ceil does every morning is check on those babies. The mama really has to work to keep them full and satisfied. They definitely are "busybodies". I think we enjoy them so much because they are on the back patio. We won't talk about the "droppings". Thanks for your pictures.

05/29/2008 08:17 AM

by Carl & Ceil Winters (Complete Inspection Service, New Braunfels, Texas 78133)

I love barn swallows! One of my favorite birds...we used to have barn swallows in my garage at my parents house.

05/29/2008 08:20 AM

by Clint Miller - www.recr.com (Real Estate Client Referrals LLC)

Clint - We have a great number of Barn Swallows; I'll give them directions to get to your place. We almost have too many. I think they like it here. Thanks for commenting.

05/29/2008 10:16 AM

by Carl & Ceil Winters (Complete Inspection Service, New Braunfels, Texas 78133)

Yes I do, I have them at the lake house too, not as used to people there. Bill made a square wooded thing and we put newspaper in it. Of course they built right by the back door, but their beauty is worth the mess. Hugs, L

barn swallows

Learning to fly

05/30/2008 12:17 AM

by Liz Carter,Broker/Owner of Liz Carter & Team Realty, Katy TX (Houston) (Liz Carter & Team Realty-Top Realtor in Katy & Houston Texas)

Liz - It is amazing how fast they grow. Well ours flew off yesterday afternoon. Ceil went out about 5:30 to start the BBQ pit and down they came; they either fell or flew out and seems all made it OK, It was too many for that small.

Thanks Liz for always including your pics.

05/30/2008 07:41 AM

by Carl & Ceil Winters (Complete Inspection Service, New Braunfels, Texas 78133)

Hi Carl & Ceil, I used to get barn swallows on the front porch of my other house. Surprised I don't get any at this house -- have a big front porch that would protect the nest and babies and a covered patio that would be perfect to build a nest. I miss the babies but not the mess.

06/02/2008 11:20 PM

by Judi Morgan, San Antonio, TX Real Estate (Coldwell Banker D'Ann Harper, Realtors)

Howdy Carl and Ceil

Judi - I also like Barn swallows, ain't got any here. Had them come to visit back home.

God Bless The U.S.A.

06/03/2008 06:41 PM

by Dale Baker, Home Inspector- in NH & VT (Baker Home Inspections and Consulting Service)

Judi - They can be a mess but still fun to watch them. Since we took down the martin house the little swallows have really taken over.

Dale - What is the popular bird in your area that comes build a nest.?

06/04/2008 07:48 AM

by Carl & Ceil Winters (Complete Inspection Service, New Braunfels, Texas 78133)

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