frugalflowers, are you sure they were barn swallows? Barn swallows have tan chests and usually like to make nests in the corners and under eaves of barns or other structures. Tree swallows have white chests and like to nest in bluebird boxes. We have had a family of them for several years and really enjoy them. Is there any spraying of pesticides to get rid of insects where you live? If so, the swallows might not have enough food on which to live. Last year, when the weather was horribly rainy for weeks on end here, we lost a few to starvation. Poor little things.

herbalbetty,

Oh dear.... I knew they were tree swallows. Why I wrote barn swallows is beyond me, sorry. There is no spraying where I live. There aren't enough residents to warrant the expense. The swallows had more than enough bugs to eat here, so I'm not understanding what happened to them. We truly enjoyed having them around and wish they would return.