Sherry8
Wisconsin...zone 4
Posts: 2421
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| Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 9:15 pm Post subject: Tree Swallows |
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I put up a blue bird house in the front yard so it was away from all the other birds and houses...Privacy so I could attract those little beauties...
I haven't seen one Blue Bird yet and I was giving up hope in having something besides sparrows nesting in my yard...I looked out the window and two Tree Swallows were checking out the vacant bird house...oh, I was hoping that they might like to stay..they kept checking it out for 4 days and now I have seen them with nesting materials in their beaks...I guess they decided to make this home...I was worried about what others had warned me about them...diving at your head if you go near them..Today I got to sit outside and watch them as they were working and I didn't seem to bother them at all.
Tree Swallow ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
Tree Swallow ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
Tree swallow ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
Tree Swallow ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
Tree Swallow ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
Tree Swallow ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
Tree Swallow ( photo / image / picture from Sherry8's Garden )
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eileen
 Forum Moderator
Scotland
Posts: 18528
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| Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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Well it certainly looks like you're going to have more than just sparrows this year Sherry.  What handsome birds your Tree Swallows are. Our swallows don't nest in boxes but make their homes out of mud and attach them to walls and beams.
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Sjoerd
West - Friesland
Posts: 7021
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| Posted: Mon May 04, 2009 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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Fab. fotos, Sherry. These fotos really show that bird off quite well. It was really nice that you took several different views.
You are quite lucky really to have such tenants.
You can show pics of these guys any time. They are quite beautiful, aren't they.
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Netty
Regular Plants Contributor
Southern Ontario zone 5a
Posts: 10298
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:00 am Post subject: |
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My Tree Swallows just returned last week too. They do dive at us when we walk past, but it seems more like a game they play to me. They don't get too close and they like to eat the bugs we stir up. Great shots.
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daisybeans
annapolis md
Posts: 3675
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 1:16 am Post subject: |
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What a darling bird! They have good taste in real estate too. I hope you enjoy having them around.
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bsewnsew
Posts: 2750
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 1:33 am Post subject: |
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Excellent photos and box and birds.
That was a nice sit wasnt it?
Thanks for all the views.
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kuntrygal
Texas ~ Zone 8
Posts: 3436
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:08 am Post subject: |
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Beautiful birds and great shots. Do you think they will dive at you once there are eggs or babies in the house? Thanks as always for sharing your wonderful pictures.
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kaseylib
Wisconsin
Posts: 1084
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:22 am Post subject: |
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They are beautiful birds, and boy do they eat the bugs. They always take over my purple martin houses each year.
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glendann
Texas
Posts: 9276
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 3:40 am Post subject: |
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Those are just awesome birds .Their color is marvelous.You will really enjoy watching them as they work and then become proud parents careing for their babies.
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Jewell
Regular Plants Contributor
Puget Sound Region of the Pacific NW (Washington State, US)
Posts: 1727
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 5:01 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for sharing the pics. Even though we have tree swallows around here I know I have never been able to see them as clearly as your photos show. They are always swooping around too fast. Fantastic!
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Sherry8
Wisconsin...zone 4
Posts: 2421
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 12:28 pm Post subject: |
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They seem to be the slowest nest builders...I was thinking one was adding and the other one was removing what the other one put in.
I did read that they usually have 4-7 eggs at a time. I am not worried about them diving at me...I will just wear a hat if they get upset with me weeding the flower bed..I think it said she sits on the eggs for about 14 days.
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Green_Numb
Posts: 330
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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wow, love the shiny blue coats!
this inspires me to put up some bird boxes in my garden..
do i just hammer it to a tree, what kind of minimum height should i generally go up to?
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Sherry8
Wisconsin...zone 4
Posts: 2421
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| Posted: Tue May 05, 2009 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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Green Numb....the one where the bird is sitting on top of, is just a blue bird feeder. The one with showing them going in the house is only a little ways from the window in my dogs room. We can sit and watch them going in and out all day without going outside...I can't take pictures through the screen though...I put it right in my front flowerbed in front of the house by the front door. We don't use the front door that much so I thought that would give them some shade from the garage in the afternoon and it is quiet. I had my husband put a post made of wood in , he dug it deep into the ground so it wouldn't tip over in strong winds.Then mounted it to the side of the post . I was trying to get blue birds so ours is only about 5 feet high. If you look up on the computer the type of birds you have around you should find some information on them. It told me to face the entrance to the house east to keep strong winds from blowing in...Good Luck..Sherry
Tree swallows eat mainly insects the information said and some fruit. They glide around so fast.
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ntjones
Posts: 31
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| Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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I love when we first see the swallows arrive, for me it really marks the start of the summer. 2 have just nested in one of the sheds and it looks like they are getting ready to lay.
Thanks for pics
Last edited by ntjones on Sat May 23, 2009 1:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Droopy
Regular Plants Contributor
Western Norway
Posts: 9285
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| Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 8:35 pm Post subject: |
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Swallows are such graceful birds. I enjoy watching them in flight. They're also good at foretelling the weather. When the swallows fly low we can expect rain, when they soar high up, we'll have nice weather.
Last year we had a pair nesting in the riding house. I hope they'll be back this year.
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