We had a surprise a little while back, new visitors – or maybe I should say new residents – living on our farm. They flew in and decided to stay. Who am I talking about, you may ask? Cliff swallows.  

For all the years of farming, we’ve always had barn swallows come to our farm in early May. They would build nests out of mud in our barn on the joists. Daily, they would fly just over our heads and above the cattle, catching mosquitoes and other insects. They are very good birds to have around. They would also build their nests under the eaves of the barn and sheds. I’m always amazed as I watch them and how they can maneuver in the air as they fly. I know of no other bird that can fly like they do. I’m amazed at how God created them so special and unique. Just how He has created everyone on this Earth so special and unique.

Well, a while back here, we noticed some of the swallows weren’t flying around as they normally do. It really caught our attention, so we looked at them closely. Half of the birds were flying like normal and half were flying differently. Then, we noticed the other half were built slightly differently. Catherine got out a bird book and studied it out – and found out we had new residents on our farm. They are cliff swallows. Like their barn swallow relatives, they like to eat a lot of mosquitoes and insects. I really like to have swallows around to eat the mosquitoes so they do not eat me.

One interesting thing is that the cliff swallows will never fly into our dairy barn or build nests in it like the barn swallows do. Both types of swallows do, however, build their nests out of mud. They normally have four to six young in a batch, and have three batches over the summer months before leaving in the fall. Both parents, the male and female, catch mosquitoes and insects to feed the young ones until they are ready to fly and take care of themselves. That’s how God made them.

Barn swallow nest with young ones in the barn. Photo provided by Tom Heck.

Some people in this world today could learn a lot from them. It would make for strong families and homes, and for children being raised the right way and being blessed. God can teach us a lot through birds.

When I’m out cutting hay, I will normally have about 50 swallows flying around me at all times. My discbine stirs up a lot of mosquitoes and insects that they catch and eat. Now it’s really interesting; half of them are barn swallows and half are cliff swallows. I’m always amazed to see how God created everything so unique and to interact with everything else. God is truly wonderful and amazing.

Fall is coming, and all my swallow friends leave for the winter. I hate to see them leave, but I know it is part of God’s plan for them. They head south; the bird experts tell us they migrate as far as 10,000 miles. It’s good they don’t need passports like people do to travel to other countries, or else they would be in trouble.

I know they will be leaving soon, but I know I will see many of them next May again as they come and make their homes on our farm here. Just think of the navigation God gave these small birds to travel thousands of miles away and then come back to our farm again. How God created all of this is truly amazing. And yet what is astounding is that God loves us far more than the birds He created. He loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to redeem us back to Himself.