tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post8165087452816934174..comments2023-10-29T09:33:36.668-04:00Comments on Teachings of the Horse: For the BirdsVictoria Cummingshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267314663679137147noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post-41121700837050999592008-03-28T14:04:00.000-04:002008-03-28T14:04:00.000-04:00In our other barn we had a family of pigeons livin...In our other barn we had a family of pigeons living there full time. "Homer" and the wife and kids were very entertaining. There always seems to be barn swallows, we've also had geese waddling through the barn. They make such a mess though. My favorite thing is to watch some of the birds sitting on the horses rumps, it amazes me that they allow this, wonder if they are part rhinoceros?Grey Horse Mattershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05837575441967937196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post-7593907631724135932008-03-28T11:45:00.000-04:002008-03-28T11:45:00.000-04:00We have a swallows nest in the barn near the water...We have a swallows nest in the barn near the water tap. It's amazing- it looks like little bits of mud woven together. They have that whole section of barn to swoop around in. I love them, although they do leave a nasty mess of black and white poop under the nest. <BR/><BR/>In summer the horses only come into the barn for grain and then they're right back out again, leaving the swallows to fly around in the whole barn. <BR/><BR/>Bird's nests! My mom has a beauitful collection of them in her china cabinet! Whenever my kids find one they bring it to her. I loved what Billie wrote about the horse hair woven into the nests. We can tell which nests are the oldest by the hairs. We used to have chestnut red nests, but the red horse is gone. Now we have black and white hairs from our Appys. Sometimes they find bits of baler twine and use that too. <BR/><BR/>And yes, every time I brush my shedding horses, I think about all that horse hair being used by somebody much my creative than I.Heidi the Hickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639479864903922047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post-47974738217392388292008-03-27T15:42:00.000-04:002008-03-27T15:42:00.000-04:00We were thrilled to see the Purple Martins swoopin...We were thrilled to see the Purple Martins swooping in over our lake- since they came back, the bug population has taken a large hit! Which is fantastic, as we no longer have to worry about the skeeters ganging up on the horses and dragging them off into the bushes. <BR/><BR/>Enjoy the Spring!Mrs. Momhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15269132012512166439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post-360441581716672982008-03-27T13:05:00.000-04:002008-03-27T13:05:00.000-04:00I don't know what it is with birds and barns, mayb...I don't know what it is with birds and barns, maybe it's the easy places for nesting but they're not my thing. I much prefer them outside in the trees. Those baby birds are way too vulnerable to my cats in barn rafters. I don't mind the cats getting the rodents but I hate when they get the birds.Rising Rainbowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04239592070775412669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post-36611238181525708092008-03-27T11:22:00.000-04:002008-03-27T11:22:00.000-04:00I love having my barn swallows here. They eat mosq...I love having my barn swallows here. They eat mosquitos. Last year it was a bit annoying as they managed to take up roost in our garage as well and we had to keep our garage door open so they could get in and out to feed their young.Calliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704537697611988375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post-57130772862824540102008-03-27T08:32:00.000-04:002008-03-27T08:32:00.000-04:00Billie- I love the horsehair birds nests too. I g...Billie- I love the horsehair birds nests too. I gave them to my daughter's teachers in grade school, but we still have some sitting on our bookcase. When I brush the horses now that they're shedding, I always leave piles of fur and mane/tail hair in the bushes for the birds.Victoria Cummingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17267314663679137147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3344836954494496679.post-58972824331443447392008-03-27T08:19:00.000-04:002008-03-27T08:19:00.000-04:00We have some barn swallows who come in to visit bu...We have some barn swallows who come in to visit but they aren't nesting there so far as I can tell. There does seem to be something nesting in a crevice beneath the barn shelter in back, b/c Dickens will stand out there and stare at it for hours in the mornings.<BR/><BR/>We also found a number of tiny horsehair birds' nests in the fall, that must have been left over from spring/summer. They were absolutely stunning - woven with tail hair from each of our horses, so it was a blend of white (pony), black (Salina), deep sable/black (Keil Bay) and flaxen (Cody). I actually cried when I picked the first one up off the ground, it was so beautiful.<BR/><BR/>It was the size of a hummingbird's nest, and then we found several more.<BR/><BR/>I love the activity at the barn this time of year. Thanks for sharing yours!billiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18187141867284800597noreply@blogger.com