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Posted on 01/02/2007 9:57:39 AM PST by HairOfTheDog
I barely believe you, though it is rather cold and blustery even here today ;~)
Unbelievable:’)
Found this:
Barn Swallow Babies
Which baby do you think will be fed next?
Baby swallows usually hatch in May. They start out inside creamy or pinkish white eggs splotched and dotted with reddish and purplish brown, weighing about 2 grams. They live in the egg for about 2 weeks. When they hatch, the babies’ eyes are closed, and they are naked except for some gray tufts of feathers on their forehead, shoulders, head, and back. It doesn’t take long for baby swallows to feather out.
With their colorful mouth linings, bright sparkly eyes, and soft plumage, many people find baby Barn Swallows especially endearing.
Why do you think these babies stay so close together?
These little birds remain in the nest until they are 18-23 days old and weigh about 17.5 grams. Compare that to baby robins, which fledge when they are 14-16 days old and weigh over 50 grams!
Fledging From High Places
Why do you think these babies are all facing the same way?
Swallows don’t nest in trees. A swallow builds its nest on a barn rafter, bridge overhang, or other structure well off the ground. If a baby swallow doesn’t make a strong first flight, it will crash on the ground. In order to survive this first flight, a swallow fledgling must have strong wings. That’s why it starts exercising, flapping its little wings hard, by the time it’s 9 days old. When it’s time to fledge, some babies look out at the big world, flap their wings, and suddenly take off! But other babies are more reluctant to fly out. One summer Journey North science writer Laura Erickson watched a family of four baby Barn Swallows for a few days. One morning about an hour after sunrise, she noticed that two of the babies had already left the nest. When Laura checked on the babies at lunchtime, a third baby had fledged. But the fourth baby just sat—still in the nest, looking around but not budging. Laura sat down and watched as the mother flew up to the nest. She hovered in one spot for over a minute, chattering and looking directly at her baby as if to say, “Come on!” The mother swallow did this many times over the next two hours. During that time, Laura did not see her feed the baby at all. Finally, Laura had to leave for a few minutes. When she came back, the baby was out of the nest, perched on a tree branch with its brothers and sisters, and Laura was sad to have missed its triumphant first flight.
If you have a Barn Swallow nest near your home, check on the babies every day or two. Try to spend extra time near the nest when the babies are getting close to fledging, and see if you can watch them fledge. If you see a Barn Swallow’s first flight, write to us at Journey North and describe what you saw!
Bink gets them when they fledge I think. I’ve seen them do it and it’s really cool, how the momma does sit on the electric line across the yard and calls to them. When they take the plunge, they do literally plunge, and sometimes don’t make it out to the line, and land up on the ground and Bink gets them.
Becky
Very fun.... let us know if you see them go :~)
The year I saw them go there were 7 of them in the nest. I just about cried, and worried about them. You could see them around on the line, and in nearby trees. I hated to see them go. The first few nights they would all come back to the nest, but once they had left it, they couldn’t all fit back in. There was quit a squabble over then nest just before dark for a few nights, usually 4 got in and the rest had to settle for sitting on the edge of the roof above the nest. After that they just disappeared:\, and I couldn’t distinguish them from all the others that fly around.
Becky
Amazing!!!
How long do they predict it is going to stay cold?
Becky
Your squirrels are so cute...they are smaller then the ones around here.
Do they have a nest somewhere in your barn?
Becky
I think they might be nesting in the space between the walls. I don’t think they’re doing any harm... I like the little red ones. I’ve told ecurbh (who thinks they should be evicted) no harm can come to them.
Mack just hates it that they nest where they do....makes a horrible mess on the front porch right where we always step. But I’ve always talked him out of tearing the nest down. They are only there for a short time, I can live with it for that.
After last year’s murder of the babies tho, I tried to keep them from building it up. But they can do it so quick. One day when I was gone, I came home and they had built it back. Once they get it all built I don’t have the heart to tear it down.
But for the next few days, Bink is definitely going to be kept in unless I can be where I can watch them. In the past the first flying lessons always happened fairly early in the morning. So I can have my coffee out there and maybe catch which day it will be, and keep Bink in then.
Becky
Well, have your camera with you when you’re watching :~D
The cats and the dogs sit in the barn and watch those squirrels run round up on the top of the wall... but they can’t get to them. The squirrels just sit up there and taunt them.
How on earth did he do that to himself? I forget. It looks good though.
My grandson's birthday is Monday, party is on Sunday. I bought him a 3' remote control airplane :)
We have some ground squirrels at work that I feed peanuts to occassionally. Well, I think I have a rotating group, not the same ones. Also have a pipe that leaks the overflow from the airconditioning. It drops onto a piece of angle iron against the building that slopes to the ground. I put a plastic dish that goes under flower pots at the end of it. I can watch the birds coming all day for water :)
We are about to enter the summer and BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity, as it's the only type of cooking a 'real' man will do, probably because there is an element of danger involved.
When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine... ,
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
Here comes the important part:
(4) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL .
More routine....
(5) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he deals with the situation.
Important again:
(7) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine....
(8) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(9) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
(10) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed "her night off." And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women....
Good one, Cindy!
Furance man is here today. New A/C just in time for the hot weather.
My Swallows got run off this year by a darned Mockingbird. Or least that’s what I assume happened. The nest is still there and the Swallows came back to it earlier on, but the Mockingbird attacks anything that moves and sits out there fussing from before daylight until after dark so I guess they decided that it wasn’t a desirable neighborhood anymore and left. It really pisses me off! If I had a BB gun I’d kill the Mockingbird.
I have no idea. My best guess was on the corner of an old cast iron bath tub that was turned upside down by the barn door. There was no blood or hair anywhere around it though, so that was just a guess. What ever it was, it left a big nasty flap of skin hanging down that had to be cut off and that's why the hole was so big.
I eliminated the “Man placing the meat on the grill” part and just do it myself. I like my steaks medium rare and that’s the only way I’m going to get them that way.
:’) I don’t like steak.
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