Barn Swallows

[John-W-WI]

I am always impressed with the nests they build. One has some red fiber woven in the mud and I was like, where the hell did that come from? Then I see an old red blanket laying in the barn that matched perfectly. Most of the nests lately have many lines in them, almost like fishing lines but they are brown? There are horses across the road and I am wondering of they are from horse tails?
It has me stumped.

Jake and I found a nest in the landscaping around the house a couple weeks ago (on the ground, we think it came from a shrub around the house). The top 1/2 of the nest was made with what I am certain was one of my dogs hair. I know her hair when I see it, trust me I sweep plenty of it up

She sheds for about 2 months spring and fall. That bird found some of it somewhere!

-John

 

[browndog]

Jake and I found a nest in the landscaping around the house a couple weeks ago (on the ground, we think it came from a shrub around the house). The top 1/2 of the nest was made with what I am certain was one of my dogs hair. I know her hair when I see it, trust me I sweep plenty of it up

She sheds for about 2 months spring and fall. That bird found some of it somewhere!

-John

I brush my two goldens with a furminator in the back yard and leave all the clumps of hair laying on the grass. It doesn't take long for most of it to disappear. I'm fairly certain birds are using it for their nests.

 

[Tap]

Birds use all sorts of stuff for nest building.
I usually have a wind indicator hanging outside...I've tried to make wind observation a year round habit. I cut a few strips of plastic grocery bags and hang it from a tree in the yard. It makes an effective wind indicator. I've watched birds carrying off pieces of it during nest building season. It always disappears around this time every year.
I also have a clothes line under my porch roof for airing out hunting clothes. There's a small canvas clothes pin bag that hangs from the line...well, it USED to be a clothes pin bag. Wrens claimed it for a nest several years ago. There's a nest in it every year :-)

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[bigbendmarine]

Had this run-in over the weekend... guessing purple martin, but whether martin, barn swallow or another bird just a bit too close for comfort when you have your drone up 300' high.

 

[John-W-WI]

Had this run-in over the weekend... guessing purple martin, but whether martin, barn swallow or another bird just a bit too close for comfort when you have your drone up 300' high.

View attachment 13674

That's funny. For some reason the swallows follow/chase my drone all over the place. I wish they didn't, but I've never had a collision.

 

[browndog]

Another new hatch of future skeeter eaters. They just keep cranking these little fellas out

 

[woodduck]

I haven't had Barn Swallows in my barn in a few years but I do have several Tree Swallows nesting in my Blue Bird boxes. It used to make me mad when I'd put up a new box in the spring and the Blue Birds would start taking interest, by the next weekend the swallows would have moved in. I now have several boxes spread out and everybody is happy. I had 3 nesting pairs of Blue Birds and 3 or 4 boxes with Swallows in boxes this year... along with all the stinkin House Sparrows.

 

[SWIFFY]

I haven't had Barn Swallows in my barn in a few years but I do have several Tree Swallows nesting in my Blue Bird boxes. It used to make me mad when I'd put up a new box in the spring and the Blue Birds would start taking interest, by the next weekend the swallows would have moved in. I now have several boxes spread out and everybody is happy. I had 3 nesting pairs of Blue Birds and 3 or 4 boxes with Swallows in boxes this year... along with all the stinkin House Sparrows.

My experience is the same as yours. I have about 30 nests out now around my property and its maybe 5-10% Bluebirds. It used to upset me but now im just glad to see a face sticking out! Lots of Tree Swallows and I enjoy watching and listening to them!

 

[Turkey Creek]

Oddly enough I had a pair just this morning trying to build a nest under the eave of my house above the side door we use most of the time. I had seen them around the last couple of days, I gave them some gentle persuasion with the garden hose to relocate to a new spot. Seems kind of late in the summer to be building a nest I would think.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Browndog - Post #22 ........ One of our camp members does the same thing with his German Shepherd while at camp. The big balls of fur don't last long. Birds use it all up for nesting material.

We have barn swallows, bank swallows, wrens, warblers of all sorts, bluebirds, fly catchers too. And bats. They're all welcome to feed up on all the flying, buzzing pests. More birds - less bad bugs in the fruit trees and plots .......and on us. Good thread !!

 

[Tap]

The wife and I took a canoe float today. We watched Cedar Waxwings flying around the whole trip. Pretty little birds.