Nesting box placed at the edge of the pond on our property. Box was built with a video camera in the top with the ability to have a live and recorded feed. The male swallow spent a few days popping in and out of the box until 3 days ago when he placed a single piece of grass in it, has grown to this since.
A bluebird gained control over a tree swallow nest and laid eggs, and here’s the nestlings at 7 days old.
Beautiful Tree Swallow Mom with her clutch.
Eastern Bluebird babies.
The other day, I saw both the male and female Tree Swallows going in and out of the box. Because the weather wasn’t really nice, I waited until today to check the box. All four eggs have hatched!
On the 30th of May I noticed that the female tree swallow wasn’t really leaving the nest box, so I thought that she probably laid at least one of her eggs. Just to give her some space, I decided to wait till today to check on them. In the photo, there are three visible eggs; but I believe that there may be one more underneath of some of the feathers.
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On April 21 an American Kestrel decided the box pole top was an ideal perch for hunting. The Swallows
disappeared for a few days, and I got these photos.
Male Tree Swallow perched on top of a Bluebird box
Not sure who this, but we think it’s a Tree Swallow peeking out from a house about 5 feet off the ground in an open field area.
Have a large variety of nesting structures around rural property. Sometimes birds nest in the most inconvenient places. Otherwise, there is plenty of opportunity for cavity nesters. At least one successful Bluebird clutch per year.
We have several nestboxes that we monitor and maintain on our property. Each year, they are full of babies…some having 2 to 4 broods with us.
Young tree swallows in their nest box
Mother tree swallow just fed one of her chicks and is just about to launch off to get more insects for her brood.
Tree Swallow in a nest box with newly hatched young.
Tree Swallows make for great entertainment. They are stubborn, boisterous, and fiercely protective of their brood.
In a box at my daughter’s farm, I opened this box to count 8 eggs of tree swallow which is above the normal.
I opened this box located next to my daughter’s pond and found this shocking addition, a bunny’s tail. I’ve seen this in all my 20 years of monitoring. Well, it is white, which seems that what tree swallows like to add to their nest, i.e. white feathers.
Does anyone have any requests for bird pictures? FYI I live in New York.
It was peaceful that day, I was kayaking on one of my favorite lakes. While I was there I saw nest boxes and decided to check them out. As I approached an adult tree swallow came and then left, I lifted the box top and took a quick peek inside, and there were five or six swallow nestling all huddled together. I checked out other nest sites too that day, one had an egg and another had nestlings.
Tree Swallow nest
When I found these nests I was AMAZED at what these birds can do. Though when I tried standing up on my kayak to look inside a tree swallow nesting box, It was empty! But when I paddled under a small bridge, I found Five pink tree swallow eggs, at first I thought they were mourning dove eggs but after more research I’m pretty sure there are tree swallow. Later when I traveled back, in the reeds there was a red winged blackbird nest. Three white eggs were in this one, I can’t wait to see how these eggs grow up.
This is a clay pot birdhouse on someone’s deck at the Kentucky Castle. It looks out onto a pasture with goats. I saw a Tree Swallow enter it 3 times. This is not the first time I’ve seen a Tree Swallow nest on/near someone’s house. Our friends made a small birdhouse without a back and placed it on their windowsill. They posted pictures of the Tree Swallow in it with eggs on Facebook.
A house wren started with sticks but a tree swallow took over by adding few grass and lots of feathers so she could get going on egg laying
The pair is currently sitting on 5 eggs. Clutch completion date was May 8th. Stream uses a raspberry pi and wide angle NOIR camera.
Sorry for the not-so-great pictures. Aside from the three kinds of warblers, I saw a European Starling, two Ospreys, robins, crows, Tree Swallows, Black-capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, and White-breasted Nuthatches.
Titmouse feeding in tree cavity. I can hear the chicks- both parents feeding.
Tree swallows already have best, but now getting busy.
I also saw a Northern Shoveler, a ton of Red-winged Blackbirds, and my first Forster’s Tern!
Do you know what these Tree Swallows are doing?
I monitor nest boxes at Bucktoe Creek Preserve for the Delaware Nature Education Society. During my monitoring I sometimes take photos. When I opened this nest box the mom was sitting on her eggs and just stared at me. I was pretty surprised as the birds typically leave the nest during a check, but this one wasn’t budging. Anyway, I got a really great shot.
Somehow, a tree swallow was able to assume the house wren nest that was built and safely laid her eggs.
After a tree swallow had built a nest, a house wren laid her eggs in the nest.
One tree swallow already hatched and one has its shell cracking.
This tree swallow pair checked out 2 nest boxes on our property. They began adding material to this box, but ultimately chose the other one, which we are sharing on Nest Watch.
A nest box had been occupied first by a Western Bluebird pair and actually had the first confirmed eggs of the 2018 season. The first clutch had 5 eggs but only 3 WEBL chicks successfully fledged from the box as of June 3. When the box was checked one week later (June 10), a new nest was observed with one bluebird egg, one swallow egg and one additional swallow egg was on the ground along with an adult Tree Swallow seen in the area. Another bluebird egg was laid the next day but adult bluebirds were not seen near the box again. The nest remained as a Tree Swallow nest that fledged 3 chicks but the bluebird eggs never hatched.
5 Tree Swallow Chicks fully fledged.
At 9,000 ft elevation in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.
Wyoming High Country Lodge.
Tree Swallow chicks in nest Box.
At 9,000 feet elevation in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.
Tree Swallow pair enters Mountain Bluebird active nest of 6 nestlings
We have watched this Tree Swallow keep watch on top of the nest box for weeks now. Only leaving for short times…The female won’t budge off the nest.
Male tree swallow on guard. Female is currently building the nest
Tree swallows just discovered my nest box
Tree Swallow nest in box on Olson School prairie walk. Two eggs laid since yesterday. Today’s date May 17, 2018. Second graders got to peek!
Tree Swallow nest box May 18, 2018. Another egg for this nest. Third graders got to peek today!
This is the third year that we have hosted tree swallows in this box. Previously we had three years of bluebirds using the box.
Very exciting for the students to observe.
While checking my nest sites I discovered a newly-fledged site of Tree Swallows. They all fledged (5)!!!!!
tree swallow nest with eggs and parents.
All of the nest boxes at Jackson Bottom Wetlands Preserve appear to be “rented” with adult Tree Swallows valiantly defending their real estate.
Our male Tree swallow attempts to get yarn into the nest box under our garage eve whithout much luck. But they got it eventually!
These Tree Swallows have been working hard on their nest. The best time to see them is in the morning.
This is the 3rd Tree Swallow nest in my yard! They chose a strange location for the nest though. It is right by some trees.
We have been watching this box for over a month. The husband has 5-eggs and dedicated Eastern Blubird Parents, while my nestbox has had a half-built grass nest…Eastern Bluebirds chasing the Tree Sparrows away…House Sparrows going in and ou…. and Now Tree Swallows moving in.
They have visited the box twice in as many days.
So far the hole extenders have done their job. Twice now one tree swallow has hatched a few days after the others in the clutch and cannot fledge when the nest mates do.
Found Tree Swallows nesting inside the chase of the cannons at Manassas Battlefield Park
Male Tree Swalllow and Male Blue Bird Skirmish over nest box. The Swallow ended up on box as the Blue bird already had one and conceded
Almost ready to fledge
Tree swallows hanging out in the trees beside nest box. Also a picture of the nest they built and the eggs
The bird nest box was cleaned after sparrows were chased out by a cat. The eastern bluebirds returned and are attempting to block the sparrows return
I check my nest every 4 to 5 days. I am hosting a Tree Swallow and these are the 5 eggs. Daddy Bird likes to watch the nest during the day and Mama Bird comes and goes.
This is our second year of having 2-nest boxes in the backyard. Mine started out with Wrens building a twig nest, but yesterday the 29th of April it looked like the Swallows were chasing them away. Today — the husband’s 66th Birthday — it’s official. The Tree Swallows have WON !
(Dick the Birthday Boy has Eastern Bluebirds in his nest box.)