The barn swallows are back....

[millergrovesue]

...and rebuilding nests on the front and back porches. Such messy but fascinating and beautiful birds. 'Course we can't turn on porch lights until they migrate south again. Makes receiving visitors at night a little awkward. We use a flashlight to guide guests back and forth so as not to disturb the nesting birds.

In an effort to direct their nesting I bought some wooden nest cups for them a couple of years ago. What a joke. They think the cups are great for a temporary perch but have no use for them as nests.

I was reminded of this video that I first saw about this time last year. Smart! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs6n4XKApqc

[crocmommy]

My brother had one nesting above the door on the patio by the pool. First year he let them stay. Next year he decided he didn't want to deal with the mess again.

[ann jusko]

I enjoyed the video and then watched the smart crow video after it. Nice start to the morning.

[grouchy]

We have them. Our home has a 10' covered porch on all four sides. We finally
got fed up with the mess and no longer allow them to nest in that area.

They are a lot of fun to watch.

[millergrovesue]

What mystifies me is that we have 2 barns. They don't nest in either. Uh, they are called BARN swallows.............not porch swallows.

I'd discourage them from the porches but then we'd have no barn swallows at all. They are fabulous insect consumers so very valuable to me.

They have pooped all over one of my porch columns which is below the favorite nest spot. It's permanently stained. I also sprayed it with Tree Tanglefoot last year when a snake was trying to climb the column to get to the nest. The Tanglefoot worked to keep the snake off but every thing that blows has stuck to that column. Of course it's the one directly opposite our front door and right by my water garden. The column looks really nasty. Would love to find some product that would take all that off.

As of yesterday afternoon they are building a nest right next to one of the nesting cups.