How far North are the barn swallows?

[sid]

Well, for those who’ve followed my owl saga of last year that ravaged my nesting swallows…

It appears that only those that successfully were able to have broods last year (that the owls couldn’t get to) are back.

Only 4 pair out of my original 33 the year before that were not ousted and threatened by the owls.

This makes me sad. I started with one nest in my big barn in 1993. But going from 33 pair down to 4 is a bummer.

On the other hand, at least 4 pair are back (no owl threat so far this years) and the flock will grow again over the years. The downside and upside of Mother Nature.

[leaf]

Oh the ups and downs of mother nature
Sometimes we just have to trust her, she knows better.
I wonder if owls don’t have a harder time finding habitat and nesting spots than barn swallows do?

[sid]

Oh…the owls didn’t nest in my barn/indoor.

I have 30 acres of perfect habitat for Barred Owls surrounding my farm, bordering my 30 acres of fenced horse pature.

Big, deep woods, creeks, etc (their pellets were full of crayfish too). They just found an easy food source by hitting the barn.

I DO trust mother nature. And one thing I’ve learned is that if there is an “easy” food source, they’ll use it rather than work harder out there to get what they need. True of all species…including humans.

I’m not throwing them out to nothing, just telling them the swallows are not a buffet.:lol:

[sk_pacer]

Still no swallows but the meadowlarks are back.

[tucktaway]

A stupid kildeer laid 4 eggs in her “nest” 6 inches from the road. This is going to be torture; waiting for them to hatch, survive, and hope that she doesn’t get hit in the process!! Gaaa!

[Winding_Down]

I am in the blue ridge mountains, 60 miles west of DC and no barn swallows here. But we have many that have been in the barn and sheds for the past 50 years so I fully expect the clan to come clattering in any day now. I for one discourage them from nesting in the stalls and aisleway - and over the years, the numbers nesting there have decreased markedly - I knock the nest beginnings down and they go to the sheds, which are much more acceptable. I just do not like all the mess of bird poo all over the horses etc in the barn. Plus, the dogs have learned that if they are patient, there will be baby bird delicacies flouncing about learning to fly. So it is better to not witness the carnage…

[MistyBlue]

South central CT…first one showed up Tuesday here. Single female, she’s in the barn at night and checking out the old nests from last year. No others yet, although I thought I saw a male Tuesday night too. But haven’t seen him since, so I might be mistaken.

[Fred]

[QUOTE=tucktaway;8120625]
A stupid kildeer laid 4 eggs in her “nest” 6 inches from the road. This is going to be torture; waiting for them to hatch, survive, and hope that she doesn’t get hit in the process!! Gaaa![/QUOTE]

Can you move her nest a little bit farther back from the road?
I am not sure how kildeer are not extinct, they really don’t seem to have the greatest survival instincts.
One year we had one lay her eggs in our driveway. We put up jump standards and poles and pileons around it and had to drive around it.

No swallows here in my part of SW Ontario yet either. I’m glad - we had snow on the ground yesterday morning!
I did put out a hummingbird feeder just in case…

[tucktaway]

[QUOTE=Fred;8120901]
Can you move her nest a little bit farther back from the road?
I am not sure how kildeer are not extinct, they really don’t seem to have the greatest survival instincts.
One year we had one lay her eggs in our driveway. We put up jump standards and poles and pileons around it and had to drive around it.

No swallows here in my part of SW Ontario yet either. I’m glad - we had snow on the ground yesterday morning!
I did put out a hummingbird feeder just in case…[/QUOTE]

She’s nested in the rocks/rubble b/w the pavement and lawn. It’s tempting to move her but I don’t think I will match her camouflaging skills! I’ll put a traffic cone beside the nest and hope no one squashes it. Hopefully she will stay out of the road too…

[leaf]

You make so much sense, Sid
Thanks for explaining.

[equitopia]

Haven’t seen any yet here in W. Oregon, surprised they are in WA if not here.I love them too!

[tucktaway]

And they’re baaack! Saw the first one today – 3 days earlier than last year, despite yesterday’s snow!

[Fred]

[QUOTE=tucktaway;8123396]
And they’re baaack! Saw the first one today – 3 days earlier than last year, despite yesterday’s snow![/QUOTE]

Here too! I saw my first one this afternoon, a single one, scouting the old nests from last year!

[sid]

[QUOTE=Fred;8123407]
Here too! I saw my first one this afternoon, a single one, scouting the old nests from last year![/QUOTE]

:):)!!

[LLee]

Our main barn has 2 swallow nests and the first one already has babies in it. Same nesting spots every year, I clean off the old nests and they come right back to the same place every year. Plus we have them in the open sheds. Lots of swallows. Asheville and surrounding area is loaded with nests and eggs and first hatchlings. Gosh I love spring!

[HungarianHippo]

My favorite “nesting season” story comes from my job at a manufacturing plant. This pair of mallard ducks decided to leave their eggs in the mulch right near the factory entrance, no protection from bushes or anything. So for the next couple of days at shift change, there’d be much quacking and duck-stress as people came and went. Well, one night the overnight shift maintenance crew-- a burly, gruff, completely hardass group of guys-- built this amazing duck shelter and placed it over the nest. Complete with a hand-written Do not disturb sign. Must’ve been a slow night. :lol: Next day, as everyone walked into the plant, Momma Duck was happy in her shelter, completely unworried.

[DJohn]

3 Barn Swallows seen today in Southwestern Ontario! I snapped a few pics. They seem to be scoping out the barn.

[Foxtrot_s]

I’m on the balmy West Coast in BC - still have not seen a swallow yet.

Killdeer - I was showing the Pony Club kids a killdeer nest once and explaining the broken wing etc. We had put some buckets around the nest to stop cars driving over them, and one of the kids steps on it!

How do those poor things survive with coyotes, humans, etc…

Hummingbirds should be here soon - pink chestnut will be in bloom soon.
They are starting to winter over here in some parts where they never used to.

[MojitoMare]

I noticed this morning that our swallows are back. I’m just south of Seattle.

[Calvincrowe]

SW WA state: Ours arrived yesterday! Squeee! First scout is in the barn, scolding me already. They arrived last week at the boarding barn 30 miles from here. The cliff swallows arrived about a month ago at work so I knew the barn guys would be a bit behind them. I just hope mine decide to nest in the old, low “on the fluorescent light” nest, rather than the one up next to the roof peak where the babies bake.