YOU JUST NEVER KNOW

WHAT MORNING WILL BRING...JUNE 20 2013 ....

A little bit of background first.  We have 2 bluebird boxes on our fence where we can see them from the house.  Every spring there is a mad race - both bluebirds and tree swallows want to 'rent' these house. 

Usually we manage to have one tree swallow box and one bluebird box.  But not this year.

I guess that is typical - as nothing has been as usual this year.

We have 2 tree swallow boxes.  We also have lots of bluebirds, so they must have found a house in another neighborhood.  Guess as our bird houses are getting older, the bluebirds wanted newer, bigger, better.  Must have found what they wanted.

But back to the breakfast (don't know about you but lost my appetite for breakfast this morning) buffet.

First thing I saw when I walked into the kitchen were these birds sitting on the railing of our back patio ramp.  They were fluffing their wings and watching.  About that time a tree swallow came flying by and as it passed, the sitting birds grabbed something.

Turns out the sitting birds were young tree swallows.  Mom and Dad had coaxed them from their houses, and they landed there.  Mom and Dad were feeding them as they rested. 

After a few choice morsels they spread their wings and flew off with Mom and Dad.

It amazes me how these birds can fly and snatch their food right out of the air.  

But let me tell you, it is a 'mine field' when you are mowing.  Mowing disturbs the bugs.  The disturbed bugs take off in flight.  The tree swallows are dive-bombing the bugs for dinner.  You are on the mower, they are diving all around you. They don't care.  You feel you need a suit of armor to mow. 

Now the swallows have shoved their young out of the nest.  After a bit of re-arranging they will raise a second family.  Then come fall they will all depart for their winter homes in the south, returning the next spring.

And the battle will begin again as to who gets the bird boxes.  

Have a great day and God Bless.