Our Barn Swallows

Every year since we have lived in this house barn swallows have built a nest on our front porch. The family has grown since that first year. Around the beginning of May a scout shows up to take a look and within a few days the rest of the family shows up and nest building begins then the babies come. This year there have been two sets of babies.

Paul, John, George, RIngo and Herbie

They allow us to use our porch and they really don't care if we come and go or sit out there. They seem to be fairly social. When we mow they swarm above the person mowing catching bugs. When we sit out by the pool we call to them "babies" which we have since the first year and they seem to come from nowhere and fly around. They even swoop down while we are floating to get drinks.

Babies learning to get drinks from the pool 

Today may be the last day that we see our babies in their nest. They have been out flying around which means nesting time is almost over......but as you can see it is a bit crowded.

All five are in there. There was a bit of an accident earlier today. I went out to let our Daisy in and all the little babies flew out of the nest. Not being the best flyers one of them......I'm thinking Herbie hit the edge of the porch and never made it out. He hit the porch floor and scampered across the porch to the garden. I 'm sure he was just dinged. A bit later Caleb urged him out from under a Hosta plant and he flew away.

We are always sad to see them leave the nest BUT they stay around the house till the beginning of September. Then they go where ever swallows go in the winter and as soon as it gets warm we are looking for the family to return. We really enjoy them.

As Always, Lori