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.

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