I have Tree Swallows nesting in the nest box closest to the garden. I had to move that box a bit further from the garden a few years ago, when the nesting pair got fussy about me being in the garden while there were chicks in the nest, but haven’t had any issues since. Well, not seriously, they get fussy about me working the row closest to the nest when there are chicks in the nest, but that’s manageable……
Till this year.
As I was planting those pepper plants last week (Wednesday) the Swallows started fussing when I walked the row closest to them. I figured the babies were hatching, tis the season.
Friday I had a few minutes and headed out to do a little weeding…..and got driven out of my garden by dive bombing Swallows before I’d gotten the furthest row done!
Dammit, its MY garden! I was here first!
I like Tree Swallows, they eat mosquitos, and deer flies, and the like. But they don’t get to claim my garden either. Once this set of babies leaves the nest I’m going to have to move the box again……..
Oh my gosh Ruth! I remember being dive bombed when I was a kid by crows, it was horrible. It is YOUR garden!!! I guess you can’t really move the box yet?
Not till the babies are fledged, but that shouldn’t be more than a week more. Probly less.
Rita was chasing a just fledged robin a couple of weeks ago and the parents went nuts dive bombing her even after the baby had gained an upper part of the fence. I went to pick up Rita, and they started after me. Never too close, and once I turned away with the kitty, they resorted to just screaming insults until after I had closed the back door 🙂
The swallows get closer and closer if I don’t go away quick enough, they get close enough I can feel the breeze!