Top Photo: Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) sits atop new nest box built with the swallow in mind.

Ever since our new tree swallow nest box was installed in our wetland (2.28.25) I’ve been waiting for tree swallows to return from their wintering sites along the North and Central American coasts. For the past several days we’ve had at least two pairs of the insect eating aerialists sorting out who is going to use the nest box. Not only that, they’ve been checking out the wood duck nest box which has been occupied for the past three years by tree swallows.

The rationale to add a nest box specifically for three swallows was prompted by the fact that a wood duck nest box that was placed in our wetland to attract hooded mergansers, has been used by everything but. We’ve had a variety of cavity nesters using the box but no mergansers. I thought the added tree swallow box would free up the wood duck (merganser) box. Not so.

There’s nothing certain yet, but at least the swallows are showing an interest in the nest boxes, both of them.

I’ll keep an eye on the birds and let you know what transpires.

Check back in the weeks to come.

Ranger Greg