I got to do an interview about barn swallows on the Horse Radio Network last week. The backstory is that I’d contacted Glen with a possible idea- and I didn’t hear back right away- but the next day when I was out driving my truck I got stopped for some one lane road construction- checked my phone while waiting- and saw a text that he wanted to do the interview in about an hour… yikes! my phone charger had gone kaput and my phone had about 9% battery left- so my new mission was to get to town, buy a charger and get my phone charged enough to function before he called back. Talk about frazzled. But I sure felt lucky that I’d happened to check my phone! Of course I didn’t have a chance to do any prep or make notes. This is evident in one major mistake in the interview that I was not prepared for- the co-host Wendy lives in south Florida which is right outside the breeding range of barn swallows. The only spots in the USA where you won’t find barn swallows are that lower portion of Florida and the southwestern desert. So I didn’t have a good answer for that. Other than that I think the interview went really well and was so pleased to hear how the final show got put together. Mine is the second spot in the show- starts about 13 minutes in. Barry who came on after me is really fun and talks a lot about the history of how carriages were used for public and private transport.
Mine are back! I thought they hadn’t returned, but they’re here now flying circles around the front yard. I have 3 old nests on my front porch, and it looks like they’re rebuilding two of them so far. I don’t know why they don’t like my barn.
It could be that your barn’s building materials are too slick. My new barn has very smooth lumber in all the available joists for building. Last year both nests were constructed on spots with projections (one outside on top of the loft door track) which would support the nest better than trying to stick mud to a slick vertical. This year I added some support foundations on the interior joists at good heights for them and now the first pair is building on that shelf I made them.
The Good News:
Ma & Pa Swallow have established a nest inside my barn in spite of the godawful starlings ghetto-izing the place.
Ma was sitting this morning, so hope that means there are eggs.
Looking forward to Flight School once they hatch :yes:
Starling babies are all fledged & gone.
Huzzah!
The Sort-of-Sad News:
My baby Robins left the nest today.
I peeked out this morning to see 2 perched on the window ledge where the nest is & 1 more on the ground below the porch. I hope the last baby was somewhere on the ground too.
Robin Parents were hysterical, so I’m hoping they will take care of the babies for s couple days until they are ready to go out on their own.
Life in the Fast Lane!
The eggs hatched on May 18 & babies are almost ready to go it alone.
I’m late to the swallow party—but my pair from last year arrived right on schedule and brought along 3 others (I assume last year’s crop of youngins’). I am so happy that they have abandoned the nest up in the peak of my very tall metal pole barn ceiling and instead have chosen to build anew under my loft, back where I store bedding. Now I and the dogs are dodging low-flying aircraft, but the babies will be visible (Yay!!!) and won’t cook when it gets hot (Double Yay!). Poor Mr. CC won’t have to rig up a fan to blow on the nest this year. (what a good guy!).
Our pair arrived mid March, stayed for a couple of days, disappeared for a week,
then came back. Set of four babies soloed a couple of weeks ago and are now gone. Mama appears to be setting on the second set of eggs…we usually get two groups…gaggle, herd, clutch, what do you call them?
Clutch I believe. At least it is for chickens. And Aligators!
The last batch/clutch flew the coop yesterday! A nest of 4, there was one who needed and extra day or two, but now is out and about with the rest!
Riding through the hayfields this weekend with literally 100’s of them flying and feeding! All in preparation for their impending departure. 
We had a bumper crop this year, which is fortunate, given the dearth of bats these days.
The last batch/clutch flew the coop yesterday! A nest of 4, there was one who needed and extra day or two, but now is out and about with the rest!
Riding through the hayfields this weekend with literally 100’s of them flying and feeding - such a sight- all in preparation for their impending departure. We had a bumper crop this year, which is fortunate, given the dearth of bats these days.
Mine are gone, didn’t see them diving around while mowing last week, no tweeting any more at the barn.
Still have Hummingbirds, but not the Swallows. Hope they have a good trip back South!
I find myself missing the noise and busy swooping. It depresses me as this ritual tells me winter is coming. Ugh.
Our last nest vacated yesterday. Still a few in and out of the barn today.
I’m with Sid - the absence of the constant barn chatter is a little sad.
We seemed to have a good crop this year!
Plainandtall or any one that may know. Our barn is fairly new (3 years) we had our first pair of swallow last year, 2 clutches. This year we had approximately 5 pairs, who built 7 more nests but NO babies and mine left weeks ago. Any ideas as to why this happened? I was so disappointed.
[QUOTE=SPF10;7731328]
Plainandtall or any one that may know. Our barn is fairly new (3 years) we had our first pair of swallow last year, 2 clutches. This year we had approximately 5 pairs, who built 7 more nests but NO babies and mine left weeks ago. Any ideas as to why this happened? I was so disappointed.[/QUOTE]
Snakes? I hate it when the black snakes get up into nests for eggs and then babies, but they do – often at night. Crows are raiders as well.
Posted on another thread, but our pair had three sets this year. Four babies, six babies, and two babies (Cheep and Chong) for the last. These guys took out on their own about a week ago. They nest just above our door to the porch so really miss seeing them…they were here so long this year.
I think mine left the last two or three days. Was so cute watching the babies practice flying. Had probably 2 dozen leave.
My ninja kitty ate all my baby swallows. I think the parents are going to move out permanently after this. At least ninja kitty ate all the starlings, too.
Our first barn swallow flew into the barn this morning! 
That puts them almost a week earlier than last year for here.
They better stay away from here…April blizzard going on.
I’m on the lookout for mine. Typically, the scouts arrive the 3rd week of April.
I PRAY they come back, as they were dessimated last year by barred owls that decided to frequent my indoor arena (attached to the barn/stalls). The owls are not near my barn so far. But I fear they may not return. I usually have about 30 nests. Last year, many “moved” after they started nexting because of the owls raiding their nest, and going after nesting adults.
Because of the owls only 6 pair stayed and managed to produce only one brood. 
Owls are cool, but not if they destroy my swallow population – Love them!
