I am beginning to wonder if my barn swallows are going to be with me year round. If so, that would be unusual. Barn swallows in North America are migratory. They arrive in Mississippi in the spring, set up their mud-like nests, have one or two sets of babies, and then jet off to warmer, more southern climates in Central and South America for the winter. I even looked it up on Google to confirm.
But it is now mid September, with less than a week left of summer, and there appear to be just as many swarming swallows at sunset as there were earlier in spring. Is it possible that their nesting within the former concrete water storage tank allows them to remain year round? Or perhaps their migratory pattern is simply altered slightly, such that they leave later and arrive earlier because of the protection that their man-made cave provides?
It appears that swallows in southern states hit peak migration back to Central and South America in September. So given that, if I still see large numbers of swallows on the farm in October, then perhaps that is something worth noting.
I will keep a watch on the swallows as fall sets in and the evening temperatures drop. I am sending them my love and appreciation now for their watchful care of the farm for so many months of this year. And I will miss their presence if and when they depart for their journey to warmer continents.
*Many thanks to Patrice Bouchard on Unsplash for the beautiful Featured Image.
The Feminine Farmer 