Summer 2013
The barn swallows have returned to their nook outside my window.   Using the same nest from last season, they attempted a set of eggs that were eaten by magpies.   I caught the magpie in the act due to the shrieking parents, but it was too late to intervene.   These resilient parents laid another clutch of eggs and took turns incubating them.   Soon a tiny little head appeared.

Much to my delight, more little heads have appeared and I have counted four babies.   The parents take turns feeding them and interestingly enough, two other adults seem to participate in the protection of these young birds.   It is my belief based on research on barn swallows that these are fledglings from last year.   Apparently it is not uncommon for young adult swallows to help their parents care for the next season's batch.   

My cat was relaxing on the porch beneath the nest and all four started diving at her and shrieking.   She eventually left.  

 In the above photo, I actually captured the parent landing and feeding a baby.   Look closely and you can see the adult has his beak in an open mouth of a baby bird.   Probably bringing it and insect.   Barn swallows eat insects such as flies of all varieties, bees, wasps and moths.  They skim through the air foraging for insects and swoop over water to gracefully take a drink of water.

Above: Three of the four babies are huddled in the front of the nest.   A shy sibling is behind them.  This nest has been used for several years by the same pair of swallows (I believe).  Barn swallows build their nests almost exclusively on human made buildings.  The were originally cave builders.  The only place where they still nest in caves is on The Channel Islands off the California Coast (According to allaboutbirds.org).