A Bunch of Birds

[Zuma]

30 years ago I put out a few Bluebird houses. They were shared with a few Tree Swallows.
Since then I add several houses and have attracted swarms of swallows. I have seen them
return from Mexico as early as late February and as late as early April. I have watched the emergence of hundreds of hatchlings. They have become buddies over the years.
Yesterday they surprised me with a magnificent acrobatic feeding frenzy.
There was an early in the day Mayfly hatch----- Some pics that do not show the swarm very well but you might get the idea anyway.
Zuma

[Hawkdancer]

Neat pics!  My first thought was "this doesn't look like Florida, Toto"! .  Didn't think there were hills in Florida - you snow birding on us? Lol!
Hawkdancer

[Zuma]

Neat pics!  My first thought was "this doesn't look like Florida, Toto"! .  Didn't think there were hills in Florida - you snow birding on us? Lol!
Hawkdancer

Yep. but I go south months after the swallows.
They actually returned with me this year. They were way late.
Zuma
There were about 50 swallows swarming around my sliding door
just off the deck.

[BowEd]

Zuma....I had the same scenario happen to my blue bird houses.The tree swallows moved in.OK with me too.Terrific misquito catcheres.Just made more houses that's all for the blue birds which are hard on the bugs too especially during the june bug season.Think the blue birds like their privacy.I set houses quite away apart from each other for them.

[bjrogg]

Zuma I just love barn swallows. I have a big shed and every summer just like you said. Hatch 100's of them. They build their nest from mud and grass. They are the fighter pilots of the bird world. It doesn't matter how windy it is they just fly so gracefully. Truly aerobatic and as good as watching the blue angels or thunderbirds. Always said if there is such a thing as reincarnation I want to come back as a barn swallow.
Bjrogg

[mullet]

We have hills, but not like that. Don, are those Swallowtail Kites? If so they are way north since they migrate from Brazil. We have a lot of them here this time of year and I have one wearing out a Cardinal nest right now.

[Zuma]

Zuma....I had the same scenario happen to my blue bird houses.The tree swallows moved in.OK with me too.Terrific misquito catcheres.Just made more houses that's all for the blue birds which are hard on the bugs too especially during the june bug season.Think the blue birds like their privacy.I set houses quite away apart from each other for them.

Yes they are all good bug eaters. The swallows here have even ganged up on the blue birds and killed some of the babies.
They are bullies in numbers. The blue birds will try to get in the houses early but usually they have to wait until the swallows are done.

[Zuma]

BJ Do they have V tails that tend to be brownish in color?
 If so I think you have Barn Swallows. They swarm here while I am cutting the lawn.
Diving for the bugs that get kicked out.

No Eddie their not kites. Way smaller I think.
Zuma

[bjrogg]

Zuma I'm no bird expert but yes I believe that's what we called barn swallows. We also have what we call cliff swallows that dig tunnels in the sand cliffs at the gravel pit. Not sure if they are the same birds or different. It's funny because for most of my life the barn swallows built bowl shaped mud nest they stick on trusses. They always entered from the top. Then one showed up that made them shaped like a gourd with the stem down and a entrance hole at the bottom. Now we have some of both
Bjrogg
PS I just saw my first pair this morning and took a picture. If I get a chance I'll format it and post it

[Zuma]

That's cool BJ

[BowEd]

The barn swallow is slightly larger than the tree or cliff swallows with buff colored belly.On farms they can get quite a few numbers of them too towards the end of the summer.Cutting and baling alfalfa in the summer they are out in many numbers diving all over the place.They make mud nests like BJ said.The other two species are hole or cavity dwellers.
Another bird that always entertained me out in the field with the tractor was the sparrow hawk.Some call them kestrals.They catch many many mice that are disturbed by the disk from the tractor.
All these birds fly like fighter planes.With the same type wings.Very agile and quick.The sparrow hawk has a habit of hovering over it's prey before lowering the boom on them.

[Trapper Rob]

We have lots of barn swallows here I love watching them.

[bjrogg]

I saw my first pair of barn swallows this morning. I took a picture of them. Not the greatest picture but maybe you can get a idea Zuma.
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

I think barn swallows many times will raise more than one clutch of eggs in the summer.One of the reasons why so many are around towards the end of the summer.Pairs are very protective of their nesting area.Especially tormenting cats that get into their zone.

[bjrogg]

Haha it's hilarious watching them torment cats. Of course they will do the same thing to people to sometimes. They dive right at them and just inches from them pull up and chirp at them. Most of the time you can hear their wings snap as they pull g's pulling out of dive and steeply climbing away.
(Kinda like cracking your knuckles). Then they turn around and do it all over again.
Bjrogg