More on my Tree Swallow nest box project

Since 2010 i have been placing numerous nest boxes at a pond near my house. Neville's Pond as most people call it is usually home to 15 or more nesting pairs of Tree Swallows. When i was 13 i noticed these beautiful little blue birds trying to jam themselves into a steel post. The holes in the posts were too small for the swallows to get inside but i watched them trying relentlessly.  The next day my father & I headed down to the pond with a nest box. As i began attaching the box to one of the posts the swallows started fighting over the box. The box was in my hands still!! It was certainly something i had never herd of. Ever since that day i have been building more and more nest boxes to help the birds out as I'm sure there are not enough natural nest cavities available.

Since i began this project I've built and placed over 20 boxes around the pond. In my community i another 10 more boxes. Almost all of the boxes have been used by swallows. Each year i remove last years nest and repair the boxes before the swallows return. I have been able to study these birds up close and i have certainly learned a lot about their behaviour. I noticed that if i purchase white feathers from a craft store and simply hold them out in my hand when the swallows are finishing up nest building that the swallows will come and take them right from my hand! They always line their nests with white feathers. 

In late May when the swallows first arrive they have about a two week window where they are continuously checking out the nest boxes and going from box to box. This offers an amazing photo opportunity. Its simple. Put an interesting perch on top of a couple boxes. Then set up your tripod and wait. This could take hours but eventually everything works out.

As you can see these birds are one of my favourite species of birds. This species is facing a lot of pressure due to pesticides in the environment as well as an unavailability of nesting sites. Recently i learned that Tree Swallows have declined over 40%. I am happy knowing i have helped even a couple swallows nest and raise young. Swallow boxes are easy to build  you just have to remember two things. Entrance hole is 1 1/2" diameter and the floor dimensions should be no smaller then 5"x5".  I find the rest is just personal preference. Look up some plans online, there are a lot.

More Tree Swallow Photos

This afternoon when i got out of school i headed over to Neville's Pond to check in with the swallows and see if any more boxes had been occupied. Unfortunately no more boxes had swallows in them. I did get a chance with one pair of swallows that is nesting in one of my boxes in the water. Brad & I placed a few interesting looking sticks and stumps around the pond and now the swallows readily use them. This offers great photo opportunities. On a day like today with overcast skies i use settings such as these

-1/640
-f7.1
-iso 400
-Manual mode, Tripod mounted


Here are a few images from today:

Nest Building Begins

June 1st seems to be the day each year where the Tree Swallows really ramp up their nest building efforts and get nest construction well under way. This morning was no different. Neville's pond was alive with the chatter of swallows bringing small strands of grass to their nest boxes. It seems the male does most of the nest building, while the female perches near by and supervises the male. Every now and again she will enter the box and "fix" what the male as placed inside. Another reason i believe the female stays near the nest while the male goes for more grass is because other swallows are relentless in trying to take over any boxes left available.

By late next week most pairs will be sitting on eggs. However on Wednesday i placed 4 more boxes at a wetland near my house. This morning a pair of tree swallows and one pair of Black Caped Chickadees had moved in. These birds will be slightly behind the rest.

Getting The Shot

To get photos like the ones below it is very simple. You really only need three things. Tree Swallows, A nest box and patients. All i do to get the images below are simply attach sticks that are unique and interesting like this mossy one; onto the nest box. Or i place the sticks near the nest box. It depends on where the light is shining from and how my background looks. I attach the sticks using zip ties and sometimes screws if i plan on leaving the perch there for some time. Then i get my tripod set up and wait....and wait. You might be there two minutes before swallows are on the stick and other times it may take more then an hour. I find the best days are days with no wind and overcast. The duller days are much easier for getting your exposure right with the whites and the blues of the birds.

Heres what it looks like

Below are a few more photos from this morning. Spring has defintaly arrived!

About to get some grass for the nest

More to come!

The Real Beauty of Tree Swallows

This morning Brad & I headed to our favourite location to photograph Tree Swallows, Neville's Pond located just inside Paradise offers a little haven for these beautiful little birds. Each spring dozens of these swallows come to Neville's Pond to nest in the boxes we have scattered both around & in the pond.  These fast flying little birds spent almost all of their time in flight and even when perched they don't seem to sit long. That is until they begin to nest.

Once the males arrive they begin to check out all the available nest boxes and quickly claim territory. Once a mate is found the pair quickly gets the process of nest building underway. During this time period the pair spend most of their time hanging out around the box guarding it from other swallows who are relentless in trying to take over the box in the early season.

It is then that we place interesting looking perches such as the ones in these photos for the birds to land on. Then its just a waiting game until you get one or both of them on the stick!

So far 6 nest boxes have swallows guarding them, plus one more pair right in my back yard. Over the next few weeks almost all of the boxes all have swallows occupying them. These photo opportunities will not last long because once the nest has been constructed the female will spend most of her time in the box incubating eggs while the male busily feeds her. Expect more posts to come of how the Tree Swallows are doing and of course more photos!

Below are a few more of my favourite images from our morning session

Notice the wings back on look like a butterfly, this is the first time I've noticed this

A short clip of one of the nesting pairs