Fascinating barn swallows at my house
Last spring, I blogged about a pair of barn swallows that nested outside my front door. Apparently, barn swallows are quite happy living at my farm because many more nests have appeared this season. These birds prefer living in small colonies, building nests in close proximity to one another. They work together in protecting those nests from predators and they also work in unison hunting for insects.
I'm fascinated by their nests, which are constructed from mud pellets and grass, carried bit by bit in their bills. This year, I chose to document one of the nests built in my carport. I watched for several days while the structure was painstakingly pieced together. I waited anxiously while the parents lovingly incubated the eggs. And I was delighted when I finally heard chirping. Mother and father were kept busy for several days feeding their hatchlings and today, all that remains is an empty nest.
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Photos By Martha Stewart and Eliad Laskin
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