The Daily Bucket is a nature refuge. We amicably discuss animals, weather, climate, soil, plants, waters and note life’s patterns.
We invite you to note what you are seeing around you in your own part of the world, and to share your observations in the comments below.
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Flint Hills of Kansas
2021 hasn’t been anything like a normal year. In a normal year the spring scouts arrive in early March, if not sooner. But this year the effects of winter hung on, producing frosty mornings well into April. Our nearly two weeks long deep freeze (down to -13 F) didn’t break until very late in February. I feared my resident Swallows had been among the victims of the huge die off that occurred during the previous fall migration. But, at last, Main Papa arrived, stayed about half a day, then left again. But he returned some days later in company of Main Mama, Crazy Bird, and 5 or six others. That is about 1/3 our normal base population, but this has not been a normal year.
Soon after arriving the Swallows set about choosing a mate. This resulted in frequent confrontations that were a wonder to see but difficult to get good photos of.
After the mating season the birds set about the chores of nest restoration or building new nests. It was all hands on deck and Swallows are a model of industry. Within days they seemed all set. After a relatively brief molting period the mating season began. The lead photo was taken just a moment after Main Papa (Numero Uno) had renewed their vows. In a surprise to me move, he wasn’t done yet. He and Crazy Bird struck up a romance that turned into a threesome arrangement. Their nests were conveniently only a few feet apart. But, in keeping with the “this has not been a normal year” theme, more inclement weather delayed egg production for some time yet. Main Papa, Main Mama, and Crazy Bird have to be aged Swallows as they have been returning to my barn for several years. There is no mistaking them for another bird, even though their feathered decoration changes a bit from time to time. I don’t think I’ve heard the average lifespan for a Swallow, or if anyone even knows. I’m hoping they are raising young ones who will continue their legacy here at Appy Trails. They seem to be very intent on doing just that this year, ‘un’ normal or not.
Once their eggs were in the nest the females were diligent in keeping them warm. Our cool weather was not over yet and we were in what seemed like a monsoon season. To say it rained frequently would be an understatement. I contemplated trying to turn my biggest barn into an Ark!
Contemplated yes, but ‘Noah’, I didn’t do that. I did enjoy keeping an eye on what the Swallows were doing. there were four nests of babies to watch on the first brood.
A parent posing on the edge of the nest...
Empty nests turn into full nests in what seems like a blink of the eye.
His threesome arrangement kept Main Papa very busy. Each of “his” nests had 3 youngsters in it, plus he had done a pretty good job feeding the females while they were incubating the eggs. He had to be getting worn down. That work load was somewhat reduced when the youngsters hatched as the females then fed themselves, but (as you can see above) the six babies were growing fast.
Besides the nests in the main barn, the nest up at the upper barn was also occupied this year for the first time in several years. It had babies too! But not for long. While feeding the horses who live in that barn I noticed baby birds on the ground out front. They were just barely beginning to get feathers. Pretty sure some type of predation must have ruined that effort by what I presume were younger parents. So I was left with 3 nests (of the total nine) of babies in the main barn. There are nine nests total. Main Mama’s babies were the first to leave their nest, and they chose one of the worst days to do it. It rained hard and long that day. But out they flew and evidently passed all tests early, because it wasn’t long until they selected a perch on the power line to my cabin where they endured a heavy rain for most of the day not far from my padded rocker on the covered deck porch.
Babies who are first time flyers generally train during the day but return to their nest for one or more nights. These followed that pattern. I’m convinced the steady rains were a factor in that. But rain or not they left again every morning! After the third morning they no longer returned to the nest to roost at night.
With the babies gone from Main Mama’s nest attention turned to Crazy Bird’s nest, although Main Papa also spent time tutoring the young flyers. Crazy Bird is the fastest, most successful, hunter I have ever seen. I timed her one day and from the time she left her nest, flew out of the barn, and returned with more feed for her babies, it averaged out to 12 seconds per trip and she does it all day with only a short break now and then. That is simply incredible. She didn’t do that just once. She did it time after time after time. I was awed at such skill and will.
While the action in the barn is compelling there is also a lot happening outside. As soon as I go in the barn to feed the horses and my cat (who lives in the loft) the adults gather on the power line along the drive by the pond and supervise my trip to the upper barn. There are usually at least 7 or more, but it’s hard to get anything definitive for a photo if they are stretched out. I usually just go for an individual or a smaller group of the bunch.
Occasionally there were visitors. I have seen 3 different Swallow species on the line this year. Barn, Tree, and Cliff. I was surprised there were no squabbles. They seemed to get along with each other very well.
I take it back. As you can clearly see, turns out I AM fluent in Swallow! Si?
After sunning and preening on the wire the birds take flight. I LOVE watching Swallows fly. They fly with a style all their own, but it is very difficult to catch them just right in a viewfinder and focus too!
As I’m writing this (8/25/21) the second brood has just left the nest and is making their initial flights. This time Crazy bird was quicker with her brood, and these newest flyers are Main Mama’s second batch. They left together and they are flying together as a squadron of three. Normally new flyers are split up and each is accompanied by a guardianship of adult birds. The adults are flying this time too, but following and flanking as these babies are doing as they please and seem determined to do it together. Altogether our residents increased their number by 13 newbies this year, including a pair of survivors from the nest above stall 1 at the front end of the barn.
Except for the pleasantries of training the youngsters and fattening up on the late summer hunting that will end the primary activities of my Swallow residents for this year. They will be leaving for their winter digs again before much longer. Want to know how I know?
My guess is Long Billed Curlews or Glossy Ibis. In either case they would be unusual for this area. But that doesn’t surprise me this year, because this has been “a not so normal year”.
That’s it! I’m gonna go now so I can come back to see what YOU see! Please furnish your own translator. Mine is stuck on Swallow.