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Index of Subjects Hello Marg: Last year I too had a Tree Swallow's nest box that had a similar ending with abandonment. Knowing that there were young in the nest by mid-June but adults had not been seen around the nest box for some days, I went to investigate. There were three nestlings in the box and two unhatched eggs, tragically the nestlings were either dying or already dead. They were featherless and still had their eyes closed. The largest of the nestlings - almost twice the size of its siblings - was on top of the others, having great difficulties just breathing and appeared to be close to death. It was painful to see. We never saw the adults again. This was the first time my swallow box had a failure in the many years I have been monitoring it but with a fair amount of rain during the swallow's breeding season here, flying insect numbers were not easily come by. Judy Tufts >>>>>>>>> Judy Tufts Wolfville NS <<<<<<<<< -----Original Message----- From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Marg Millard Sent: April-22-16 11:14 AM To: naturens Subject: [NatureNS] White Point Birds Good morning. What a glorious morning it is, too. T-shirt weather complete with flies and Tree Swallows. We now have three here. Steve cleaned the houses on the weekend past and we found some interesting things. There was a lot of squabbling over the houses. It seems someone moved in then out then it all happened again. This is at the Barn house on the pole. The nesting material was quite extensive for Swallows. It had been cleaned before and so it was all fresh from the arrivals in the spring (2015). It appeared there were at least 3 nests, on atop another and each had multiple white feathers. He dumped it in the firplase. I should have gotten photos. Quite interesting. Another house that I have photos of nesting material going in, had nothing. Now Chickadees may have cleaned that out and stayed in there over the winter but we could not tell. The third house when it first went up over the grapevine, close to the house, produced a family or two then we had chicks that were almost ready to fledge and were abandoned. They died slowly. Last year we had at least two chicks, not well developed. Steve said just basically beaks. no feathers. So I remember there being two birds then one bird then no birds. We don't know why this happened obviously. Last spring we did have a very loud Thunderstorm right overhead after the nesting began so I wonder if it was percussion? Does anyone know if that could damage newly hatched chicks? I guess we will never know. I have been thinking I should replace the house, maybe there is something wrong with it but that first season there were 4 birds off. Maybe the parent birds are just unaware like we have in the human species. Had a GBHeron at the marsh beside the 5 River outlet in the Estates. I haven't seen the Kingfisher there yet but I think I saw it fly across in the distance from my kitchen window. There are thrushes at the edge of the golf course and the road into the Estates and I was told by a woman at the bank yesterday there were 2 hummingbirds feeding at her mothers place on Crowell St, in the subdivision up behind the new Middle School in Liverpool. Wow is it great; we made it to another spring! There are dandelions blooming under my clothes line and I can smell Mayflowers on the air. If you are visiting Saltscapes Expo please drop by the White Point Beach resort to say hello. I am their resident artist working Sat. 1 - 4 ish. I love meeting you all since I don't get to the meetings. Best regards Marg Marg Millard 19 White Point 2 Rd., White Point, Queens Co., R.R. # 1 Hunts Point, Nova Scotia , Canada (902) 683-2393 MargMillard.ca Facebook: White Point Artist, Marg Millard.
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