On Sunday, August 24, 1997, while visiting Lower Granite Dam and
Locks (on the Snake River in Whitman County) I discovered a BARN SWALLOW
nest. I couldn't see the nest but I could see the pile of feces under the
nest and I could hear the chicks calling when the parents visited the nest.
The nest was on the end of a big gate that swings shut and seals when they
fill the lock. The gate is closed for about half an hour then they drain
the lock and the gate swings open. As a result, the location of the nest
changes depending on whether the gate is open or closed. One parent located
the nest without fail regardless of whether the position of the gate. The
other parent was confused when the gate was closed and kept going to the
place the nest was located when the gate was open. I am assuming that the
confused parent was the male because he would have less experience with the
gates opening and closing than the female which I am assuming "rode" the
gate while she was incubation. However, this may be gender bias on my part
:-) I was amazed at the idea of a moving nest. There was also an old Rock
Dove nest on the face of the gates so I am assuming they could ride the gate
as well!
Deb Beutler
Department of Zoology
Washington State Univerisity
Pullman, Whitman Co., WA
dbeutler at wsunix.wsu.edu