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Barn Swallows In A Neighbour’s Barn


Part 2, July, August 2020. By Linda Marie Glass Ward In the spring and summer of 2020 I studied the barn


swallows in the neighbour’s empty barn because the swal- lows at our own property at 5180 13th Line Harriston were unsuccessful that year. Here is the continuation of last month’s article.


June 30. I discovered three beautiful robin’s eggs in Nest 6.


July 2. I found too many barn swallows to count, includ- ing five babes in a row on a hydro wire. Good; all five fledglings from nest 2 were there, with two nests to fledge. Also there were many more adult barn swallows than be- long here, probably visiting from across the road.


July 3. The babes in Nest 4 fledged since the day before. Although there was little time for a second clutch, there were no new eggs in nest 2 yet.


July 7. The swallows were flying over the wheat field on that hot July evening, with no signs of a second clutch in either empty nest. Five babes were hanging their heads over the same side of Nest 3. I hid and watched parents feed, for a while. When I left, there were happy swallows all around.


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July 14. I poured some water in the puddle, which had dried up. The birds had not made any progress on the nest since I first noticed it, on the eleventh. Then on the four- teenth it suddenly was twice as tall, and had a long black horse hair dangling from it. They were using my manure.


July 16. The new nest, named 5a, was almost complete. There were still four babes in the other nest. I wondered what happened to number five, but it was there all along. The fledglings sit on the eavestrough of the barn. The adults were using my manure for their nest building, so I poured three pails of water in that puddle today. The barn swallows sometimes swooped at the robin, who was nest- ing in Nest 6. Four of the babies in Nest 3 sat on the edge. Their little heads and eyes followed the flies’ movements with interest.


July 17. There was no progress on the new nest, and no new eggs in the other two nests. I took pictures of the baby robins. On a cross brace, there was a nest made of new mud named Nest 6a. Those sneaky birds mad a whole new nest there without me noticing.


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July 18. All five babes of Nest 3 had fledged. One half of the flock was on the hydro wires on the road. Many birds were there. The parents are teaching the juveniles to for- age. One chirping male nearly dive bombed me. Then the whole flock came to see me, and moved on. Although the two new nests 5a (on my shelf) and 6a (on the braces) are complete. I made new mud anyway. None have new eggs in them. As I am leaving, at 8:47 AM all the birds have flown off to forage. I went back into the barn. One adult addressed me, then I went back outside where seven or eight babies were flying, playing together. At 8:50 AM on the way home there were many juveniles down on the sur- face of the road, a dangerous place for birds.


July 19. Nest 6a was filled with feathers as if a second clutch was on the way. I observed the swallows needed more shelves here, and preferred the shelves that are fac- ing away from the openings. They nested in the area of the


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Half Finished Barnswallow Nest


July 11. There had been rain in the morning, then dry weather in afternoon. Three barn swallows were in a mud puddle at the edge of the old manure pit. They were very busy after the rain and wind. Then in the barn I saw a new half finished nest on one of my shelves!


July 12. When I arrived the swallows were making a fuss and at first I did not see juveniles. Then I saw two. I went in the barn to look for new eggs, none. The new nest builders had made no progress since the day before. The puddle was dry so I added water and manure.


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July 20-August 4. I continued to visit at the old barn, but inexplicably all progress was halted and no second clutches were begun, so I concluded my 2020 study there. The robins also had fledged. I took all but five nests. I left the two new ones, and the three that had been used. I moved my shelves (that did not attract swallows) to loca- tions that may be more enticing next year. They face away from the opening now, as per my previous observations.


Events


May 4. Shelves. June 7. Active nests - 3. June 16. I started my study. June 16. Nest 2 - renovated barn swallow nest - 5 hatch- lings. June 16. Nest 3 - new nest on my new shelf – 5 eggs. June 16. Nest 4 - renovated phoebe nest - 5 fresh hatch- lings. June 19. I took photos of the three active nests. June 25. Nest 2 - almost big enough to fly. June 25. Nest 4 - almost caught up to Nest 2. June 26. Nest 3 - 2 hatched. June 27. Nest 3 - 3 more hatched. June 29. Nest 2 - fledged. July 3. Nest 4 - fledged. July 11. Nest 5a - half finished. July 14 to 18. I brought water for mud. July 17. Nests 5a and 6a - complete. July 18. Nest 3 - fledged. July 19. Nest 6a - lined with feathers.


It was a rewarding study. I photographed and videoed


my studies there, and got some great videos of the side view of the nest when the parents bring food to the hungry brood. I used a small mirror to photograph the nests from the top. I learned what kind of shelf barnswallows prefer, and where they nest in a structure. I hope the swallows have a good season in 2021.


For more information, or to receive free barn swallow


shelves and instructions please contact me at 519 327- 4541 or see Facebook; Linda Marie Glass Ward


Robin Eggs in Nest


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