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Martin and Martha Swallow - with pictures - Updated 7/10
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Martin and Martha Swallow - with pictures - Updated 7/10 |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US 
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A month ago yesterday, I posted a picture in Sharon's Wildlife thread of two birds who had built their nest on the handle of my raised garage door. At the time, I thought they might be swallows, and have since identified them more accurately as barn swallows (Hirundo rustica).  The barn swallow is resident on all continents except Australia and is easily distinguished from other swallows by it's deeply forked tail and rust colored breast. This bird's aerial maneuvering is breathtaking. They can effortlessly make sharp turns while flying at high speed, enabling them to catch flies and other insects on the wing and in great numbers. My pair of barn swallows, Martin and Martha, seem to pretty much eat anything that flies and is smaller than they are. When not on or near the nest, they perch on a bright orange extension cord draped across the rafters, and I watched in fascination one day as Martha darted her head in one quick swoop to capture a huge horse fly that had wandered too close. He never knew what hit him, though I could hear the loud crunch from ten feet away.Mostly, though, they circle my front yard, often at heights ranging from a few feet above the ground to maybe twelve feet, feeding on critters I can't even see. One of my biggest complaints about living in the country has always been bugs, especially wasps (which are endemic around here) and mosquitoes (which often seem to be as large as the wasps). It's hard to believe two birds could make enough of a difference to notice, but the flying bug population around here is demonstrably smaller this summer.  Of course, it's not really just two birds. A nest, naturally, hints at eggs, which quickly become hatchlings. I didn't know it at the time I took the picture in Sharon's thread, but there were three eggs in the nest. One of the hatchlings didn't make it past its third day, and I found it on the garage floor, the victim of falling or being pushed from the nest. It was no bigger than your thumb, with translucent skin and no evidence yet of solid bones. That still left two mouths to feed, however, and Martin and Martha are typically in the air from before dawn to after dusk, each taking turns feeding their young. Barn swallows feed their hatchlings insects compressed into a pellet, which is transported to the nest in the parent's throat. Up to 400 feedings a day may be administered to the hatchlings, which equates to nearly 8,000 insects. It's little wonder the bug population is down this year.In the past two weeks, those two little thumb-sized critters have grown enough to completely overflow the nest. They try to hunker down, but there always seems to be a butt or a head sticking above the rim of the nest. And when momma or poppa approach the nest, the hunkering becomes a melee of open beaks and flittering little wings. I haven't been marking a calendar, and my experience is obviously limited, but I'm guessing my hatchlings will become fledgling within a matter of a few more days. After their first flight, from what I've researched, they'll stick to the nest for about eleven more days before leaving it permanently.   When I first discovered my newest neighbors, I was a bit fascinated, but not terribly enthusiastic. Their choice of locations meant I couldn't close my garage door for an extended period, and I sure wasn't crazy about the way Martin and Martha dive-bombed me anytime I had the temerity to walk into my own garage. By the third day after the eggs hatched, I discovered a new downside when I saw a tiny little butt stick itself out of the nest and splat the remnants of its insect dinner on my garage floor. I can tell you none of my kids were ever so easily potty trained! So, now I'm hosing out my garage every other day, too.  Trying to make the best of a bad situation, I've now spent enough time in the garage that Martin and Martha no longer treat me like an unwelcome in-law. As long as I'm sitting, not standing, they'll even perch within three or four feet of my chair and pretty much ignore anything I do. They go a bit spastic when I fire up the riding mower, but that's short lived and, apparently, quickly forgiven. They're interesting to watch, I love the lighter bug population, so figured I could live with four to six weeks of inconvenience. Besides which, what choice did I have? Today, however, I discovered the true depth of my problems. First, in researching much of what I've written above, I learned that my immediate inconvenience has just been doubled. Barn swallows typically produce, not one, but TWO broods a summer. Sometimes, though rarely, even three. Shortly after these two fledglings leave the nest, Martin and Martha will start the process all over again. Interestingly, the first brood will usually stick around and help gather food for the second brood. I guess that means I'll soon have four barn swallows flying in and out of the garage. Better come up with more names pretty soon, I suppose. Second, I also discovered that my immediate problems have been extended beyond the immediate. Barn swallows mate for life and have this nasty habit of returning to the same nest year after year after year. More, their yearlings always nest within twenty miles of where they hatched, and often in the SAME building. I found one article where a farmer said his barn averaged between fifty to eighty nests every year. Oh, my. And to think, all of this is just because I failed to close the garage door for a couple of days? [This message has been edited by Ron (07-10-2004 12:54 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2004 Ron Carnell - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
I guess you can just pretty much kiss your garage goodbye, Ron! Or maybe you can relocate the nest (and close the garage door!) when this current brood flies the coop and before the next eggs are layed? Any trees nearby that they might like? |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
No trees for "barn" swallows. They like the "indoors" of said barns, garages, sheds, covered patios, etc. Perhaps you could put up a small gazebo?  We had the same "swooping" problem with our first year robins who nested this year on our back porch. We were near run out of our backyard during the first hatching...but by the time they began sitting on their second brood, we were once again allowed in our back yard. In fact, it's been a pretty good "bird year". Even the mourning doves are having a good year in our backyard, and we've even seen evidence of orioles this year - not usually seen in town, and lucky to see them out in the country. Another anomoly of recent has been the sightings of several small chicken hawks. One has decided our neighborhood is good for something, so I figure not only is the insect population down, but so are the mice, etc. The pictures were wonderful, Ron! Thank you so much for sharing  |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
LOL, as we have a nest in the horse barn, right in the middle of the aisleway. Yep, three babies that poop over the edge. I just have to remember not to stand in that spot too long. The parents get angry when I use the telescoping cleaner/duster for cobweb removal from the rafters, but I stay away from the nest area. I, too, am hoping they choose a differernt spot for the next brood, but have been told they will probably stay where they are. Our aisleway is already dirt and wood shavings, so no problems about the debris. And since the chickens and cats do their business there too, little birdie poop doesn't matter. As for your garage, I'd just put a large plant container with dirt under the nest, then no cleanup is needed. Then try to move the nest to a different location right after they fledge. Thanks for posting those great photos! |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
How cute! I suggest you just build another garage for yourself. Isn't it worth it to have a live in bug-zapping family? |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
A wonderful shared experience, Ron...and photos...thank you! |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
mmm hmmm. So that's where you've been! Hanging out with the swallows.  and this seems to happen to you with creatures of all kinds. sigh. What can we say? You're just the greatest host in the world, and I promise I'll try not to poop on yer floor, barn or otherwise. This was delightful, Ron. and btw? I used to have a user name on another site where I shared the last name of Martin and Martha, but with the adjustment of an added "ess"-- ta da! Meet "Shirley Swallows"!  (er...yer not gonna let me name the kids, are ya?)  |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Sniggling here... You know I'm very psyched about your new tenants. And you know I'll love every minute of their magical melee about your yard... Um... Can we maybe name the hatchlings after poets???... I'll help...  |
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Aenimal Member Rara Avis
since 2002-11-18
Posts 7350the ass-end of space |
Nice pics Ron, hopefully you can figure this out before your overrun, love nature but have seen some horrible instances involving squirrels and ducks taking over. K, personally I'd prefer the company of Shirley with the added "ess" |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Oh I loved this! I just adore birds, and have feeders right by my window. I can now even leave the window open and they are not afraid of me or my cat. As for your birds, oh my they are lovely. We don't have those here that I aware of. Could you not make a wooden platform in the rafters and sit the nest on it against a wall? Below you could put a "butt bin" and that will solve that! They are fascinating to watch and like you said, better than a bug zapper right? As for naming the new family members, my suggestion would be Doodle and Dandy. If there are three there's always Yankie.  Thank you for sharing this it was educational and wonderfully amusing Ron. |
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PhaerieChild Senior Member
since 1999-08-30
Posts 1787Aloha, Oregon |
This is absolutely adorable, though I can see the problems inherent with having them there. I don't know how well they will take to the moving of the nest but I think they will forgive you. They might dive bomb you a couple of times first, just to show their displeasure. Love the photos of them. |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Ron, this is just "one" of the reasons I think you’re wonderful!  What a great story and pictures! Wayne said to ask you if you’ve noticed Martin and Martha following behind and swooping down around you while you cut the lawn? The barn swallows at our old place used to follow him along swooping around when he mowed the grass because it was like a big buffet of insects getting disturbed as he rolled along, lol ... a veritable feast! Our robin’s in the fake deerhead out back were great entertainment for us while raising their first brood, and I truly missed them when the first 3 babies flew the coop. They all stayed close though and we’d see them and their new babies out and about the yard. I didn’t have to miss them being right out back for long though. Momma was back sitting on the same nest on the deerhead within about 2 weeks time, and she and Poppa now have 3 “new” eager little mouths to feed. They’re getting big, and will be on their way soon too. I did hear that if she started her first batch early enough in the season, it's normal to have two, but it’s even possible she could be back for a third brood yet! Oh my ... busy, busy!  Thanks for the smiles this morning, I loved this! |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Speaking of bug eaters...we were out on the back porch again last night and I noticed another "something" swooping around, and then joined by another one or two "swoopers"...after some careful eyeballing in the dark, I determined it/they might be bats. One of the guys said, "Nah..." until other eyes caught the swooping action... and I was validated. We have mosquito-eating bats! WooHoo! |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
Birds sure grow fast!  This picture was taken only five days after the ones above, and my little hatchlings have fully metamorphed into real birds, albeit still tiny ones.It's just moments after dawn, and Timothy and Titia (fair is fair ) are front and center, their heads bowed and still slightly scrunched within neck ruffles, which is how they sleep each night. If you look closely to the right of Titia, you should be able to spy just the top of Thomas's head, belying my earlier post that there were only two birds in the nest. In point of fact, what you won't see in this picture is any discernible part of Terry, the fourth hatchling in the nest. Barn swallows apparently don't mess around with small broods, and I honestly don't know how they all manage to fit in a nest you could easily cup in one hand. But they do.Martha has become increasingly comfortable with my presence. I can now walk around the garage while she perches nearby, and only if I come closer than a few feet of the nest (as I did for this picture) will she remind me I'm not really part of the family. The little ones, on the other hand, show absolutely no fear of me at all, no matter how close I get. Martin stops in a few times a day, and returns home for the night, but isn't around nearly as much as he was immediately after the eggs hatched. Typical husband, I guess. I hope to get some pictures when they start flying, something I expect any day. |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
This is just wonderful. I love these pics... I wish I could get a photo of Zemler hanging from the edge of my garage door, but I think he's moved on. I guess we made too much racket for him. I have lots of baby bunnies, though... |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
We have lots of baby lizards on the front deck but they look more like crickets now..and they blend into the color of the wood so taking a picture of them would be useless. I'll just catch one and send it to you Ron.  |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Cute little things, amazing they don't fall off of that nest isn't it? I wish we had them here, but if we did, they would probably go, "cheep, cheep, eh!" I found this plan for you to build them a nesting platform, to get the next lot off the garage door - http://birding.about.com/cs/buildhouses/a/robinshelf.htm |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
Coincidentally, moments after making my last post, I walked out to the garage and discovered an empty nest. My birds have learned to fly. As best I could tell, they were absent all day. About nine o'clock, with maybe an hour of daylight remaining, I found all four again squeezed into their tiny nest. They looked tired. But very, very satisfied with themselves. |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Awwwwwwwwww ... Ron, that close-up picture above with them all squished in, is priceless! So the swallows returned to the nest after their first day of flight? That's cool! I thought once they were gone, that would be it? It looks like our babies learned to fly on the same day! I spent most of my day yesterday watching our robins. Two left the nest yesterday, but we've got one hold-out, lol. I'll post some pictures later on. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
You make such a great Uncle Rwallow... And I like the fact that Titia finally has someone named after her... |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Ron~ These are just wonderful photos~ It is just pure pleasure to be able to feather-touch nature~ In case you might have missed the Corner Pub Wren Crew that hatched in the planter hanging beside my front door ... here's a link to their coming about flight~ Florida Flight School Success - /pip/Forum39/HTML/003056.html Thanks for sharing ... what FEATHERED FUN ! *Huglets*  ~*Marge*~ ~*When the heart grieves over what it has lost, |
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garysgirl
since 2002-09-29
Posts 19237Florida, USA |
Awwwwwww, Ron, this is adorable!! I love birds. Have they all left now? |
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Titia Geertman Member Ascendant
since 2001-05-07
Posts 5182Netherlands |
WOW I'm the godmother of a swallow, I'm very honored Ron, thank you! We have a lot of swallows around here, but for the last 30 years there are about 50 to 75% less birds, due to the fact that farms aren't farms as they used to be, they've become too clean all around, producing not enough food for the birds. Our neighbour across the street used to have about 40 nests (could be more, never counted them) hanging under the overflow of his roof, but then in the '90 storms, the two barns collapsed and with them the swallows dissapeared for a long time. But recently we see more of them coming back each year. There are two kinds, the 'house'swallow, who will build his nest outside, against the house and the barn swallow (we call it the farmer's swallow) who will build their nest mostly inside the barns. You can tell the difference by their colors and forked tail. In my early days (long time ago ) I used to raise the fallen swallows and sometimes I even succeeded to set them free again.I now have to settle for a bumblebee's nest in my garden, wich is very interesting I must say. I once dug out a wasp's nest and it looks like a big several layer high parking place, I still have it and will take a pic someday to show you. You've made lovely photo's Ron and I'm going to keep them on the wall of my room. When Swallows building their nest in your home, it means happiness and I'd say they couldn't have choosen a better place.  TitiaLike scattered leaves...my words will flow |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Are they still in that nest? (Last we heard they had flown the coop so to speak.) Will these birds be back to use this spot for their nest? |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
Ditto, to what Titia said: swallows=happiness. |
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Ron
Administrator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-05-19
Posts 8669Michigan, US |
quote: Funny you should ask. In my last post, the four chicks had returned to the nest after their first day of flight, but contrary to what I had read about these birds, that was the last night they stopped by to say hello. I would still see them flying around the neighborhood, but they seemed to display no greater affection for my property than any other. Empty nest syndrome took on a more personal meaning. I had also read that barn swallows typically have two broods each summer, so had anticipated going through this all over again. Upon further reflection, however, logic suggested this brood probably WAS their second of the season. Kit, after all, was seeing the second brood from her robins, and I have to suspect my swallows had their first brood elsewhere, lost that nest for whatever reason, and built a new one in my garage for their second brood. Chicks born too late in the season, after all, will never be strong enough come Autumn to fly over 8,000 miles to South America. The signs, therefore, indicated I wouldn't see my new friends again until possibly next Spring. Clearly, I wasn't going to leave my garage door open all year, so I sadly and reluctantly removed their nest. Yesterday, they returned. I'm not sure if all six birds came looking for their nest, but there was certainly more than just Martha and Martin. Both garage doors were open at the time, and they would arrive in groups of three or four, swooping in one door, making a pass or three through the garage, then swooping out the other door. None of them showed any fear of me, often flying within inches of where I was sitting near the doors. Close enough to my face to startle me at least once. Several times, one of them would flitter to exactly where the nest previously rested, back-winging to hover as best their kind can, before joining the others in their prescribed exit. This went on for about thirty minutes and, honestly, it was a bit heart-wrenching to watch. I'd like to build them a platform or some such in the garage for next year, but fear to let what I want overcome more prudent wisdom. One of the neighborhood cats, known locally as Boss, has spent the last two winters in the open rafters of my garage, and I'm not sure I could build anything capable of keeping him out when Spring comes. Nor am I eager to gamble the swallows' lives that I'm smarter than Boss. My garage door handle was quite possibly the only safe place in the whole building. I'm not sure what will happen or what I'll eventually do. I figure I've got a few more months to think about it, though. |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Actually it is Tori (my granddaughter) wondering how the birds are doing and asks me on a daily basis. Not sure what to tell her now? Ron threw out their home Oh dear, they came back after you became a home-wrecker? I would have been probably making them a new nest from a hat to be honest. Well look at it this way, they flew away to somewhere when they left, so I imagine they went back there? Or...you could leave the door open again, and they could build another nest? They have been flying around probably mating, as they mate in the air, then came home to Poppa! So now a cat enters this equation? A cat, named Boss no less. Now that is very scary. I therefore had to be creative in my research for saving these birds, and found something that can be affixed to the outside of the garage, thereby giving your van a home, Boss a warm place to cuddle in the rafters, and your feathered family a home as well. How about this? Barn Swallow Ledge (outside the garage) with a pain (er...pan) below? http://www.50birds.com/MPBarnSwallowLedge.htm Oh I forgot to tell you - she also said you tell stories really "good" like the lady at the library. Oh and this is the site we have been reading about your birds as we don't have them here - (this has them singing.) http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/barnswallow.htm [This message has been edited by Mysteria (07-27-2004 02:33 PM).] |
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