Nests and socks
Some of you may remember our baby barn swallows from last year. (Check out the June 2005 archives for more pictures.) In previous years we had birds build nests under the eaves of our front porch or behind the light fixture, so we put a box there to make clean-up easier for us. Last year, sparrows built a nest there and either never used it or got kicked out by the barn swallows. Well, the sparrows have built another one. They really filled the box pretty full; you can't even tell if there's a bird in there.
I've seen the swallows hanging around the box for the past couple of weeks. Is it wrong of me to hope that the swallows end up using it again? I know the sparrows need a nest, too, but the swallows are so much more interesting. Not to mention the swallows kept our mosquito population down last year. I know, I'm a horrible person for wanting the elegant swallows over the plain little brown birds. In my defense, my kids and I are mosquito magnets. If there were fifty people outside, we would be the only ones being eaten alive.
Anyway, as promised, a picture of the sock in progress. I'm just doing a sinple, k2, p2 rib and the leg is just about done. I really like this colorway. I've pretty much been working on socks non-stop for the past couple of weeks, so there is absolutely no progress on any lace. Isn't weird how we caught up with one thing to the exclusion of all else? I'm pretty sure that I'll get sick of socks sooner or later and move back to lace.
I've seen the swallows hanging around the box for the past couple of weeks. Is it wrong of me to hope that the swallows end up using it again? I know the sparrows need a nest, too, but the swallows are so much more interesting. Not to mention the swallows kept our mosquito population down last year. I know, I'm a horrible person for wanting the elegant swallows over the plain little brown birds. In my defense, my kids and I are mosquito magnets. If there were fifty people outside, we would be the only ones being eaten alive.
Anyway, as promised, a picture of the sock in progress. I'm just doing a sinple, k2, p2 rib and the leg is just about done. I really like this colorway. I've pretty much been working on socks non-stop for the past couple of weeks, so there is absolutely no progress on any lace. Isn't weird how we caught up with one thing to the exclusion of all else? I'm pretty sure that I'll get sick of socks sooner or later and move back to lace.
posted by Alison at 11:30 AM
4 Comments:
The sock is looking really good!
I would prefer the swallows over the sparrows, too...
The sparrows are likely the European, non-native kind (you live in the US, right?) Does the male have thick, black stripes on his head? In that case, they are extremely invasive and they will wreck bluebird and swallow nests, and peck those species' babies to death. If they have taken over a swallow nest, your best bet is to remove the nest after the eggs have been laid (they will be grayish with brown speckles) to prevent them from reproducing. The swallows will likely return to build another nest.
You are NOT wrong for preferring the swallows, in this case! ;) Good luck!
I meant remove the invaded nest after the SPARROW eggs have been laid (the specked ones)... and that will prevent another generation of invasive sparrows that kill swallow and bluebird babies. Sorry!
Nahh, you're not horrible, I'd want swallows too. Although we have so many birds nesting in our trees, we've got them all covered, except swallows. We think we even have a nesting pair of woodpeckers!
Post a Comment
<< Home