Barn Swallow
Abut the middle of April the birds everywhere begin their spring mating season. The barn swallow is sure to be among them. There is a picnic pavilion at Herrick Lake Forest Preserve in Illinois where these birds decided to take up residency last summer.
The first time I saw them flying about I didn't know what kind of birds they were. I overheard someone say they looked like Purple Martins. But when I looked them up I discovered it was Barn Swallows.
Barn Swallow Photo Gallery
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| Mother Bird | Looking In | Looking Out | Feed Me Feed Me |
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| Mom and Dad | Braver Babies | What's Down There | Under Control |
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| Four Babies | Ready Them to Fly | Swallow on Roof | Are You Ready? |
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| I Don't Know | I'll Go First | Maybe, Maybe Not | New Swallows Fly out |
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| Baby on Rafters | Where did it go | They used to live here | Man to the Rescue |
Summer Fun Progresses
As summer progressed I had great fun taking these pictures. And I think they tell the story quite well. Sometimes the babies would be looking down at me while I aimed the camera at them.
Barn Swallow Relocation
They were in a favorite picnic area though and this presented a problem in the end. I guess the forest rangers felt the birds were in danger. One day we walked by and all of the nests were gone. They were replaced with empty boxes. I got one picture of a barn swallow on a box. But after the nests were gone, the birds left.
I wondered if they would come back this year. And sure enough I saw one there last week. Time will tell if they will decide to nest there again. You can still see the tracings of where the nests were last year.
Inviting Birds to Your Home
If you like barn swallows, I have read that it is quite easy to invite them near. Just have a place that is open and protected from the weather.
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