Swallows: Building the Nest
And then there are the birds that migrate and that rely on insects for food. Like the swallows. They are just starting their nests and laying eggs. We won’t see their young until July. The Eastern Kingbirds and Cedar Waxwings returned only a week and a half ago. Their young will fledge in July too. Kingbird families will stay together well into August. A short and intense breeding season.
Here are some photos of swallows gathering nesting material.
Getting just the right mud and straw
So much to do and so little time
Tree Swallow: Nothing is ever easy
Tree Swallow at the nest
Tree Swallow: building a cozy nest
Cliff Swallows gathering mud. A photo from last year.
Cliff Swallows collecting mud for nests
Violet Green Swallow male looking for twigs in the mud
all photos and writing copyright Joanne Siderius 2013
siderius blog 
Nice, Joanne! I love the Violet Green Swallow!
I am not sure why he needed to visit the mud puddle to get the grass he needed, but there he was!