(My ISP connection crashed just as I sent this, so please forgive me if you get it twice.)

Hi everyone, I have such a sad note to start :(

I've been enjoying watching Tree Swallows nest in one of my birdhouses for the past weeks. On July 7, I heard the babies peeping in the nest for the first time. I walk past the box every day to get to my backyard, so I think that has to be close to when they hatched.

I was away from July 8-18. I went out the morning of the 19th (Friday) and saw a lot of small bird droppings on the lawn chair that sits close to the box. I was surprised because it seemed too early for the babies to be out of the nest, but excited that they apparently fledged successfully. Then I saw a dead baby swallow on the ground under the box. Unfortunately, then I saw another about a foot away. Sadly, I found a third about 10 feet away and a fourth 15 feet away. They were all the same size, about 3 1/2 inches and almost fully feathered (2 had bald spots on their heads.) They appeared to have been dead at least a couple of days since one was already full of maggots, the others were dry. By my calculations these birds should not have even been fledged for another 3-7 days, do you agree they were early?

Any ideas what could have happened? I saw 2 adult swallows flying near the nestbox for a few minutes Friday afternoon, so it doesn't seem like the babies were abandoned. I don't think the nest was plundered because it's specifically a swallow box with a narrow slit opening not even 1" wide. I'm heartbroken about this and hope someone can help explain it I also want to know if there's anything I should do to have better success next year..

Thank you.

Marlene Penry
Ocean Shores, WA
mailto:mapste at coastaccess.com