The swallows would dive under the bridge and come out the other side, but a few added seconds would pass before they reappeared.
["New works in progress under the bridge": photos GAH]
“Why are they stopping under there?” I asked myself.
["Clay for nests is a free resource for resourceful birds"]
Yes, curiosity killed the cat, but I didn’t think an axe murderer lived under the bridge, so I climbed down a short bank to explore.
["These nests - photo from 2008 - are now gone; new ones are underway"]
I discovered that the birds were mud swallows and were building nests for their young.
Each nest was a work of art, made skillfully from clay and stuffed with feathers or other fluffy odds and ends. (Anyone missing an old sweater?)
["This blackbird came to visit during my Pt. Bruce coffee break"]
Yesterday, after spotting a dozen or so swallows in the air near the bridge, I stopped again to see new works in progress.
Have you seen any unusual nests recently?
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