From the ceiling of the south porch here there hangs a spiral-shaped piece of metal — part of an old auger, I’m told. It’s been there since I moved in, tied to a braided rope — and at first I didn’t know what it was for. Now as I contemplate the Barn Swallow nest in progress not two feet away, the purpose of that sculptural curl of metal is clear: it’s a bird perch, hung there for the convenience of attentive parent birds. From this perch they can keep close company with their partner on the nest, and the whole family is sheltered by the porch. Understanding the bird perch put the official stamp of approval onto Project Barn Swallow, at least for me.
     Country folk have long tolerated Barn Swallow nests on porches and awnings  — I’m not the only one the feisty little birds have charmed!
     I did chase down a rumor I’d heard about Barn Swallows and bedbugs, though. I’d been told that mites of many sorts might be living in a bird’s nest, but Barn Swallows are no more “mite-y” than other birds. The best defense against mites and many other things is to wash ones hands, which is simple enough to do.
     No question a bird’s nest is messy, of course. But a good spray underneath with a water hose can put things back to spruce. A friend put it this way, “To sit outside on a summer’s eve without mosquitoes sure makes it worth hosing down the porch.”
     The nest was visible through the front door, so I kept close tabs on the family. It took a few weeks before the eggs hatched and when
they did, the adults swung into high gear. No deadbeat parents here! They seemed almost to compete with each other in their eagerness to feed the brood. Sometimes they’d hover like big hummingbirds in front of the nest. If one was on the nest, the other perched on the augur, and the hatchlings were never left alone.
     The hatchlings began as a dark clump of feathers throbbing in the bottom of the nest. Their big heads were so wobbly at first, they could barely hold them up. But as the days went by, a ring of little heads rose into view, each bisected by a big white goofy “smile.”
     These comical creatures eventually turned into actual birds. It wasn’t long before they started running out of room in the nest. They would cling together with their heads in the middle and a circle of tails in the air.
     Then one day I looked out and saw two of the little ones clinging to the edge of the bird perch. They must flown to the augur from the nest on their maiden voyage, and now sat contemplating their next move with a panicked expression. Then, they both flew off. When I stepped outside, the nest was empty and they never went near it again.
     The whole fam-damily disappeared for awhile. Then one day I looked out and saw them strung along the top rung of the fence as if posing for a family portrait. There were seven young birds and two adults — the adults had the long, forked tails. It was a big happy flock of Barn Swallows now, where before there had only been two. I looked forward to the days ahead when the baby Barn Swallows would really learn to fly…!