I have had Barn Swallows nesting on both my front porch and back patio for the past four years. After noticing what seemed like a more than expected number of broods being fledged in both locations last year, I have been monitoring them a bit more carefully. So far this year both adult pairs have successfully fledged two broods each (3x4 and 1x5). Yesterday I witnessed the first casualty of the year that I am aware of. A feral cat that lives in the large wooded area behind my house caught and ate one of the fledgling that was perched on the deck railing. It is quite a sight to see all the BARS perched along the guttering of the garage roof in what we refer to as "Barn Swallow flight school". If last year is anything to go on, I expect to see several more broods hatched over the remaining summer months. On 6/27/2013 5:20 PM, Elliott Gordon wrote: > This year, an apparently young pair waited awhile before finally settling > down with some eggs. In the end, five young hatched and four fledged, the > other disappearing overnight. -- Ian Layton Cedar Creek. TX Bastrop Co. Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at //www.freelists.org/list/texbirds Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission from the List Owner