they are black with brown chests and they are putting mud and sticks on the side awning of the house. I don't know if they are trying to build nests or what? But they hold on to the sides with their tails and also have some orange on thier chests and necks. The photo is not that good I took it from inside the house, i'll try to get a better one.
Thanks for any help.
A.
Maybe Barn Swallows.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_Swallow
This message was edited May 25, 2007 3:40 PM
yup, swallows, and they are building nests. They built them every year on the side of Mom's brick house.....cool to watch em. Awesome bug catchers as well.....
Thank you both, they are so neat too.. there are about 15 doves I feed, a Redwing BLackbird, a couple of black thrashers, several little guys, some neat looking finches, hummers and these guys..
Thanks for the ID.. it looks like they've been doing this for a couple of years from the look of the side there..lol. we moved here 6 months ago.
Well, here it is:
"Home Tweet Home"
they finished it about two days ago.. an inch at a time. They must have left only two inches between the ceiling and the nest.
Oh my gosh, thats something!
I have really enjoyed watching from my computer desk.. you know, the funny thing is, at 5:00 PM, they quit working.. I kid you not. I don't know why, but you just do not see them around after that time.
lol..
I take a photo of them in the nest.. sometimes they look like they are hiding.
Nice looking nest you have there, can't wait for pics of the babies when they pop their heads up. You will so enjoy watching them raise their family.
You're going to love watching them raise their young as threes said. Last year our couple raised two broods on our high ceiling front porch. The babies fledged to the ceiling fan on our back porch and the breeze just kept them going around like a birdie merry-go-round. I just kept spraying my porch surfaces (they are messy) and loving every minute of it. They ate lots of mosquitoes and other bugs - so I called them our natural pest control system. I'll try to post a pic of them. This year they returned, but some bird attacked their nest and killed one of them and the eggs. I was so sad, and still am. I noticed last week that a single swallow has been sleeping in the nest. I'm hoping the widow/widower is courting a new spouse and there will be new babies.
Anyone know what bird might have attacked the nest?
Might have been a House Sparrow.
pelletory - house sparrows would kill another bird? There is a sparrow nest in the roof eaves around the corner from the porch. I may have to talk seriously to the sparrows... You can have my eaves if you leave the swallows alone.
Tonight there were two swallows sleeping in the nest (built in spring '06) for the first time - which means maybe the widow/widower has found another mate. Hoping for more swallow babies this year, if so.
There are many different types of sparrows. Heres a page from Cornell to be able to identify House Sparrows. End of subject, you have mail. :-)
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/House_Sparrow.html
here are the babies two weeks ago, I accidently stepped on one about a week before this photo, it fell out and I was watering and did not see it... what an awful feeling that was.. one of the birds (mom or dad) came and looked like it was counting them and knew one was missing..
On this day, it was sooooo hot here, the three were hanging their heads out of the nest alseep, I thought they were dead..lol, their necks were so weak.. but they were just getting air I guess.. they heard me and quickly went inside the nest. I think there are four of them but not real sure. Three are pictured here, the momma doesn't really fit in there anymore.
Here is a photo from this morning.. they are growing fast, this is one of the birdies.. they are stitting at theedge of the nest looking down right now as I can see them from my computer...
Oh oh, i think there are only two left, the momma just came to feed them and I only see two. I love watching them.
They are sweet! Thanks for keeping us updated!
THEY're back..!!! I don't know if they are the babies, or the parents, or just different ones, I saw some last week, but today they have been scouting the nest..
Will they reuse this nest? Oh how exciting.. there are two together (a couple I assume)
P.S.
They are here early? or earlier than last year anyway.. is it because it has been so warm?
Quite likely the same birds. Swallows can live for 5-10 years.
Resin
Wow, how interesting, I don't know why, I had it in my brain, that birds didn't live very long. I have a lot to learn.
I had it in my brain, that birds didn't live very long
I've just started learning about Butterflies and birds and ordered three books on them.. and now, there is a hummingbird that has an all black head to his neck.. I just looked it up and promptly forgot the name.. I need to start writing it down..
Anyway, he has been here for about three weeks now and the one with the yellow gold chest isn't around. I don't know if this one scared it off.
now, there is a hummingbird that has an all black head to his neck
the one with the yellow gold chest isn't around
Yes, that is it, Black-chinned Hummgingbird. Will he stay around? Last year the yellow one (Rufous) was here most of the summer, he was the boss of the feeders. I put out three feeders and am making some more. I got some neat ideas from some small green vials that hold fresh cut flowers, the feeder parts fit right into it and you can stick them in at an angle in your flower pots where ever you want.. I'll go take a photo the vials.
ooh here is my idea, and I thought of putting them on my hat so I could watch close up.. I saw that in one of the books, some lady had it on her hat.. (my neighbors will think i'm looney).
the pointy end can be put into pots or in the ground. I plan to use them in hanging baskets too.
Very cool Gourd...what a great idea!!
I am still waiting for our Barn Swallows to return...I thought I saw a pair a few days ago. I love to watch them fly in and out of the barn!!
I was going to try something similar... tee hee our neighbors will be calling the looney wagon on us! AM
I have a pair of Barn Swallows that return every year. This is their nest, it's kind of dark in the barn so the pic is a little dark. All of that long stuff hanging down from the nest is my hair!
Susan
We also have a Starling that nests in this hole in the Cottonwood tree. The branch started dying so DH cut it off and there was this hole in the center. She started nesting in there about 3 yrs ago and returns every spring, she's in there right now as a matter of fact.
Susan
I also have this nest in an apple tree. We didn't know it was there until the leaves fell off last fall. I don't know what kind of nest it is but it's made up of mud and twigs. It amazes me that the wind over the winter didn't blow it off of the limb. It doesn't look like it would stay there but it does!
Susan
That looks like a very big tree! (Cotton wood)
What great photos, I didn't know they used hair too.. I've been putting some lint and threads out there, but now I'll save the hair too.. Wow, thanks for the photos.. so nice.
This nest is also made from mud and sticks..
Just be sure its no longer than 3 inches long. :-)
That makes sense, so they don't get caught somewhere.. I used all my sewing cuttings that are just the strings that get cut off at the edges.. Thanks for the tip.. Can we use dog hair too?
It is, it's about 30 ft tall. As you can see only one side started dying.
Susan
Looks like a great woodpecker haven!
UNFORTUNATELY IT IS! LOL!
Aww C'mon Woodpeckers are so cool! I know you love them! :-)
Can we use dog hair too?
Oh I love the Woodpeckers, they are cool. I just don't want DH to have to finish the tree off as it's getting worse.
