It's that time again...spring is in the air, flowers blooming, bees buzzing, birds chirping...or rather building nests on my house...ugh. Every year barn swallows take up residency here. I've looked up various methods to deter these creatures. I have an owl which works fairly nicely on the side. Although, last year at the first of the season they built a nest right on top of his head. I took him down, and put him away for a few weeks. When I brought him back the swallows disappeared again. The front porch leaves a different dilemma. There's no place to really put something to frighten the birds away. Usually I just have to periodically knock nests down, which is always an adventure cause the little buggers swoop right down at your head. Now I realize that barn swallows can be beneficial; as they eat mosquitoes and other insects, and I gladly welcome that aspect of them. I don't, however enjoy gobs of dirt cake on my house, and racing to get into the house before one of them fly right into my hair and get tangled up (that's a fear). Anyway, this is taken last night during the rain...first nest of the season. It won't be there for long.