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Martha's Photo Albums

Gallery:

This is one of several barn swallow nests around my property. As you can see, nest building is a time consuming process for these birds. They sometimes have to travel several hundred yards to a stream bank or other source of mud.
Finally, the nest is complete and this bird seems quite proud of its creation. It's time to get busy and lay eggs. The female lays an average of five eggs, which are incubated by both parents.
The eggs hatch after about two weeks. These babies look so helpless.
This parent is carefully guarding the hatchlings.
After just a few days, the six babies in this nest make themselves known. They are waiting for mom and dad to return with a meal.
They spot a returning parent and the noise begins.
Only one bird at a time gets fed. Mom and dad are kept extremely busy.
After a few more days have passed, this little swallow ventures out of the nest, exploring the ledge.
It appears very confident.
One can only imagine what the siblings are thinking.
Barn swallows are insectivores, which means they only eat insects. They fly low to the ground, swooping to catch their prey.
With so many hungry mouths to feed, catching insects takes up most of the day.
Barn swallows actually like when foot traffic or a vehicle passes through a field, disturbing the insect population, making the insects easier to catch.

Recent Posts
  • Partying in style with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
  • A Puerto Rican Evening
  • Meredith Vieira and I have a baking contest
  • A Pie Contest
  • A tag sale at my offices – Prada, Escada, Ralph Lauren and more
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Martha's Photo Albums
    • Partying in style with Sean 'Diddy' Combs

      Partying in style with Sean 'Diddy' Combs Nov 20, 2009 Read the Original

    • A Puerto Rican Evening

      A Puerto Rican Evening Nov 20, 2009 Read the Original

    • A Pie Contest

      A Pie Contest Nov 18, 2009 Read the Original

    • A tag sale at my offices - Prada, Escada, Ralph Lauren and more

      A tag sale at my offices - Prada, Escada, Ralph Lauren and more Nov 17, 2009 Read the Original

    - see all photo albums -

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  • http://twitpic.com/qa4t4 - Sean 'Diddy' Combs check out more photos from his 40th Birthday party on my blog http://bit.ly/6ni5wW 5 hours ago
  • http://bit.ly/6ni5wW JUST POSTED - last night with Sean 'Diddy' Combs, Nelly, Rev. Al Sharpton, Zac Posen, what a blast! 7 hours ago
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