Violet-green Swallows
My swallow nest boxes have been a big hit with the Violet-green swallows this year. the nest box on the east side of the house over the kitchen window has been home for two broods of swallows this year. Different adults Ii assume. It has been a delight watching the adult swallows flying back and forth to the nest box as they feed their young. Yesterday morning about 10:00 am I was lucky enough to be out on the deck and watching them when the first nestling shot out of the nest box hole on its first flight. Moments later the second swallow took flight, then the third and the fourth were airborne. That's all of them I thought as I looked upward at the little cloud of swallows chasing their parents. Then the fifth nestling poked its head out of the nest hole. The nest box hole is only big enough for two nestlings to look out, three if they squeeze together, so I never knew how many nestling swallows were in the box. What a surprise to see the fifth. Periodically the adults flew by the nest. the adults even perched on top of the nest box in an attempt to coax the last one out. After an hour the fifth and last young Violet-green swallow took flight. It seems too quiet now when I look out the kitchen window. But higher up above the Douglas firs I will see the swallows in the evening until it is time for the season to change and for these swallows to head south.
