[PuddleDuck]

As some of you may know there have been nesting Barn Swallows in my family's barn for the past 2 or 3 years. The first year, sadly they all fell out of the nest and died except 1. We even hand fed 1 cat food in a make shift nest but it died that night. Last year most of them survived. This year has proved to be the most successful so far! A few weeks ago 6 eggs were laid and 6 chicks fledged.

Here is a photo of them returning to the nest:
Baby Barn Swallows by VirginiaSpencer2003, on Flickr

About a week ago we noticed that there was a pair of Barn Swallows building another nest in a different location. The mom has been sitting on the nest a lot lately so today I decided to peek in when mom was out. In the nest were 2 little eggs! I am glad that they are having more eggs/chicks because of the declining population. I hope for the same outcome as the 6 from a few weeks ago. I also hope that she lays more eggs. I have to say the eggs and chicks are pretty cute!

Barn Swallow Eggs by VirginiaSpencer2003, on Flickr

As the eggs hatch and the chicks grow up I will post more photos on them!

Thanks for looking!

[birdergirl]

Congratulations Virginia!

That's wonderful that your first nest this year fledged! My are they cute or what?! Gotta love their big mouths !

Congrats on the new nest! Look forward to see your photos and hear all about it as the nest progresses!

Cheers,

Mel

[courtjcam]

So sweet! I'm happy for their success!

[Duckasso]

They are so cute !
Looking forward to some more pictures !
Good Luck !
Ray Morris

[markj]

Congratulations Puddleduck

They are indeed cute things!

Keep us updated.


Mark

[PuddleDuck]

For an update, there are still 2 eggs. I don't think there will be any more because of the huge gap between the last egg…

[birdergirl]

Thanks for keeping us updated Puddle! Wishing success for your little nest sweetheart.

Mel

[featherweight]

Very cute, hope the last 2 are just as successful!

[PuddleDuck]

Lately I have been forgetting to check on the nest. Last time I checked was Monday so 6 days ago. Today I peeked in because we leave on a holiday this afternoon and wanted to see what was new.

Well they hatched!! I don't know when exactly but they look pretty young as you can see in the picture… I still think they are cute though.

Barn Swallow Nest Day 11 by VirginiaSpencer2003, on Flickr

[Isaac]

Glad to know there is another successful nest! Thanks for posting!

[birdergirl]

aww look at them!!

good to hear Virginia!

Thanks for sharing please keep us in the loop as they grow up

Mel

[PuddleDuck]

So a bit of bad news. Yesterday I looked in the nest and there was only 1 baby swallow. I don't know where the other went. It either fledged and has not returned or something bad happened to it. They did not look ready to fledge but you never know!

On an even sadder note the last 2 or 3 times I have been in the hay loft where they nest I have noticed some little bugs on me when I come in. Bridget noticed the same thing and we later discovered that they are mites. We came to the conclusion that the first baby probably either flew or jumped out of the nest to get away from the mites. When Bridget went to look at the one this morning she noticed mites crawling over its little body.

Earlier the baby flew out of the nest probably fleeing from the mites like its sibling. I watched it and it perched on the fence in the hay loft and then flew to the other end of the fence later this afternoon. The swallow can fly down but has some trouble flying up so this was a problem. Bridget and I just went to look and it was not in the hay loft but on the ground outside. There were dogs in the yard and it was cold and windy so it was dangerous for a baby bird. It had also by that time gone into one of the horse paddocks where it risked being stepped on. We decided that I should pick it up and take it upstairs into the hay loft. I was scared that I would hurt it or scare but but we thought that scaring it was better than being stepped on by a horse or attacked by a dog. After some time I got it perched on my finger and I took it upstairs so it is now in the hay! It flew into the hay and it now safely there with the parents nearby.

I have to say the belly was pretty soft and it was a nice feeling having the feet cling to my hand.

[PuddleDuck]

Now the baby swallow is at the bottom of the stairs outside now! Bad baby swallow!

[birdergirl]

Hi Puddleduck,

Thanks for keeping us updated on your baby swallows. It's hard for them with those nasty mites it's not good news unfortunately as we discussed today if you don't see the other baby bird around as the parents would still be feeding it even if it fledged the nest but I hope I'm wrong. I'm glad you saved the little bird from being stepped on but best to leave him be now if he is in an area safe away from the horses to step on him and away from the mites. The parents will find him and feed him
on the ground and good thing is he is mobile on his own at this point.

Thanks for doing all you are doing to keep this little one safe!

Mel

[PuddleDuck]

Sadly we could not relocate the baby at all today so we don't know what to expect!