@SwoopDeDo

(not 'our' birds -- their mud huts never got this far)

                This must the summer of the swallows or as far as we’re concerned, the battle with the birds. I have never seen anything like it! It’s like some swallow @SwoopDeDo tweeted, ‘Perfect Nesting Solution – Big stucco siding building at Elm River,’ resulting in all 100+ followers tweeting back: ‘Thanks for the tip!’ and madly swarmed the building with beaks full of mud. I guess, somebody forgot to mention to those winged mud-toters that the invitation didn’t come from the people residing at Elm River.

Sure, this is a colony and if you don’t know yet, swallow friends, we don’t take too kindly to mud-hut colonies plastered on our buildings. We do love birds. In fact, we’re quite happy upon their return, as long as they build their nests in trees or in birdhouses and not on our new kitchen/church. Well, and too bad if it’s not in your nature to nest in trees, not our fault. As you now know, we simply draw the line, when you litter our buildings with mud huts. In this case the ‘line’ is a strip of plastic that is now attached under the eaves, all around the building. @HuttWriteVoice Try to stick your mud on this!

 Hopefully it will work! We’ve tried hosing the nests down repeatedly, to no avail. Those tenacious feathered foes would not give up. And all that swooping is nerve-wrecking, to say the least! Honestly sometimes I think they’ll get tangled in my hair, drop some mud on on my head or 'some other offering'.

I have to admit though; it’s rather neat (if you can call mud neat) how they build their nests, one against the other -- very similar to a Hutterite colony. Well, ours are not exactly as close together, because we do appreciate some space between buildings.

                By the way, I read somewhere they are protected by some kind of migratory bird law. Not sure why, as there certainly is no shortage of them. Seems like they have more rights than I do, anyway. Can you imagine the repercussions, if I’d plaster someone’s house with mud?

            Now that I’ve shared my little rant, we’ll wing a prayer heavenward and hope this peaceful plastic solution will discourage this bird colony from trying to join ours. Feel free to share/tweet this with any swallow you know!

           @HuttWriteVoice So long, farewell, no wiedersehn, adieu! To you and you and you…