Thursday, April 30, 2009

Skywatch, as the barn swallows return

I love barn swallows – they are weapons of mass destruction in my war on bugs. They returned this week to the three nests they built last year.



My colony of barn swallows is architecturally challenged – they built their nests on the house instead of the barn. But that's close enough. Who am I to complain when I've got a volunteer army of exterminators working for me?





They've been very busy re-lining their nests with horse hair, which Hank and Lyle are more than happy to contribute as they finish shedding their winter coats.

And I'm supplying the mud for their nest repairs.



From now until the monsoon season starts, I will let the stock tank overflow every time I fill it. The swallows get their mud, the horses and burros get a little moisture on their feet, and my farrier doesn't need a jackhammer to trim their hooves.

And let's not forget the biggest beneficiary of all that mud...





To see who else is looking up at the sky this week, check out the links on the Skywatch home page.

29 comments:

  1. As much as I like the swallows, your pig is adorable. What an expression.

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  2. OK, having a last/late cup of coffee and reading your account of the swallows ... that's cool ... and then I see the picture of Wynonna and heaven help my keyboard ... it was just about covered with that coffee! OMG, the look on her face ... priceless!

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  3. Excellent post! I love that pic of your "little" piggy!!

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  4. When I was a kid we had barn swallows in our barn. I loved to watch their acrobatics! They are so beautiful...

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  5. I love barn swallows. They're so incredibly graceful in flight. I haven't seen any at the barn this year. We have a colony of sparrows instead. Still good, but, they're not swallows...

    Hey Wynnona! You're looking fabulous, as usual. I've missed ya, Babe.

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  6. LOL - Wynona looks as happy as she can be!

    We have a starling nest full of babies inside the barn right now. So far none have fallen out!! We had such a fiasco last year with that issue.

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  7. I love how all your animal contribute to each other! your piggie is so cute

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  8. Mud mud glorious mud
    Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood
    So follow me follow, down to the hollow
    Where we shall wallow in glorious mud

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  9. Neat post, what a life the hog has laying around in the mud and eating all day. That is the life until it comes time to butcher.

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  10. You have caught the photographs of the swallows so well and what a fantastic blue sky . The swallows are useful and also make us happy.
    I just love your piggie.

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  11. The photos are great but the one of the pig is fantastic.

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  12. Love our barn swallows too, they are always fun to watch! And that is one very happy pig, what a cutey. :)

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  13. Barn swallows are so graceful when they're out hunting for lunch. They're great to watch.

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  14. I love my barn swallows, too. Although ours live in the luxury of nests lined with terrier hair. So much softer than horse hair. I always empty the vacuum cleaner bag where they can find it. One vacuuming gives me enough dog hair to knit another terrier.

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  15. Barn swallows are so pretty and I was already enjoying your post, but then I got to the pig. I L-O-V-E your PIG!!! He is so cute! An di love that he's smiling and seems to be looking right at the camera as though he knows he's posing for a portrait!

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  16. That "pig in mud" sure looks happy.
    Love those barn swallows. They're pretty birds, and useful, too.

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  17. Alright Wynona! Way to go...

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  18. Very unique skywatch shots, I love em.

    Have a great weekend
    Guy
    Regina In Pictures

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  19. It's good to see my girl Wynonna having a good lay down in the mud. Look at that cute face.

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  20. what a great post...enjoyed very much but probably not as much as your piggie wallowing in the mud ^..^

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  21. Barn Swallows are beautiful & great mosquito predators--you are right to be the perfect hostess for such beneficent guests!
    Great photos--those guys are quick and difficult to photograph!

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  22. Fantastic photos! Love the way you captured the swallows - very nice! And I love, love that last photo! What a face!

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  23. Not seen any yet in the UK but my brother who lives about 25 miles away has so wont be long How did you get him to pose for that first picture XXX Don

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  24. Great photos - I love the first one.

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  25. I love the first picture on your post today. It is brilliant! Looks like a postcard!

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  26. I'm all for bug eating creatures!! Yea!! I just love your pig!

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  27. Aah yes, the Porcine Princess - indeed!! She is lovely.
    We got our barn swallows back too, happened about 2 weeks ago. What a glorious and welcome sight!!
    Congratulations!!

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  28. I love all of the photos, the sky is so lue, The last is my favorite though :)

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  29. I love how you captured the swallows in flight!

    I must be a wimp, I still wear my barn coat in the mornings to walk the dogs and feed the horses.

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