Tree Swallows
Singing for Supper
These young tree swallows are hungry and waiting for mom to serve up lunch. They are only about a week old, but growing fast. There are six in this nest box; one of several around our property.
Normally, when you open the nest box to look in our their progress, these young birds are very calm and sleep-like. I trick them to stretch and open their mouths my faking them out with a little whistle. When the mom returns with food, her motherly chirp will perk them up and they open up for the meal she’s brought. So, all it takes it is a little chirp of a whistle and they all bob up, mouths open, waiting. Don’t worry, they don’t stay hungry and wanting for long. Within in moments after close up the house, the parents are flying back in and out with food for them.
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Little Bird Dreams
Only a few hours out of the shell, these newly hatched Tree Swallows are resting comfortably. The parents build feather-lined nests in the bluebird houses we have around our yard. In just a few days, those little black marks will become feathers. This nest will quickly become crowded because they grow amazingly fast.
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Peeping Fresh
I looked to see how the birds nesting in the bird houses at our place were doing…and there were new babes. These are freshly hatched tree swallows – a few hours old, at most. You can see at least three that have hatched. The mother started with six eggs and is, no doubt, sitting on the still-to-be-hatched stragglers. In a few hours the hatch should be complete. Then the real work begins.
I also took pictures of the blue birds that are about a week old. Watch for photos of them soon.
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