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Catch of the Day: Hungry Barn Swallows
Bodega Bay, CA
July 2025
After months in Santa Cruz area we are on the road again. This time heading north along the coast visiting places and friends we’re interested in. We might stay longer in a few places, possible for several months. For the last few days we were camping in Bodega Bay, CA, at the Bodega Dunes State park.
I took a walk along a road through a small ecological reserve looking for any evident wildlife. I saw none until I was stopped in my tracks when I saw two small birds on a fence only 10-15 feet away. Usually when you are this close, birds flee.
They were two barn swallow fledglings that were out of the nest but still being fed by mom and dad. Huddled together for safety, they looked at me with suspicion but held their ground clinging to a fence wire. It was if their parents said “stay here, no matter what” and they obeyed.
Soon the parents swooped in delivering insects to each baby, often on the fly, usually too fast to record well with my camera. Once in a while, mom or dad would take a rest and briefly visit with their children.
It is a rare treat to see any swallow that is stationary.
Leave a comment below so I know you were here.
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When I was working, we had barn swallows that nexted on top of a post underneath the door entry overhang…so we could stand at the glass doorway, inside, and watch to our hearts content. We’d watch the parents build their nest. Then would see those little white-lined beaks pop out, one at a time, and there were usually 5 babies! The parents were busy non-stop feeding them. The babies would poke their little butts over the edge of the nest to poop (a mess on the entry, but worth it). And then we’d watch them fledge. All the swallows would wind up on a power line in front of the lab, and were joined by other swallow families. When they all were facing the same direction, they’d all take off – flying south/migrating I think. Looked like a group decision. They’d line up for days before they left, with 1 or 2 facing a different direction – no go – until they were all facing the same way. Saw this happen for more than a few years. Ahhhh! Wish I’d had a good camera in those days.
Thank you for this wonderful story about your encounter with barn swallows and their babies. It is such a delight to watch them, even for a few minutes. And you got to observe the entire process from nest to flying south!
Once again, your photos are amazing!! The photo of the Mom feeding the fledgling is beautiful!
I thoroughly enjoyed your narrative.
Thank you for sharing another wonderful story with us!