Description

Barn Swallows built the bottom part of this nest on my porch in 2011 and used it to successfully raise a brood of five. The nest is right outside the only door to my apartment and that of my neighbors. In 2012, two separate pairs of Barn Swallows used this nest to raise broods of five and four, respectively.

In July 2013, a pair of Cliff Swallows arrived and modified the nest, adding a dome with an entrance hole. However, the Cliff Swallows abandoned the nest about two weeks later after my landlord had sent a roofer who put up a ladder next to the nest to inspect the roof for a leak.

In May 2014, a pair of Barn Swallows began perching near the nest. However, later that month, Cliff Swallows arrived at the nest and seemed to take it over. The Barn Swallow pair ceased perching near the nest. On June 13, 2014, we first observed a pair of Cliff Swallows inside the nest, guarding it and adding mud to it. A chick first appeared in the nest on June 30, 2014. The adult Cliff Swallows continued adding mud to the nest even while they were feeding the chick. Because the nest is enclosed, we had not been able to observe the number of eggs or hatchlings inside the nest.

July 8, 2014 was the last date on which we observed this chick in the nest. Therefore we are assuming that the chick fledged on July 9. I have done my best to enter this nesting attempt under NestWatch, but had difficulty adding all of my observations. A chronology of this successful nesting attempt is available at http://www.deerkisshollowjewelry.com/2014updates.htm

Category

Best Nest

Species

• Cliff Swallow

Tags

• chick
• cliff
• nest
• porch
• swallow