Please be advised, the downhill area is now open for skiing and riding Monday-Friday from 12pm-8pm and Weekends/Holidays from 9am-5pm. Mountaintop access is available from 9am-9pm and other activities/attractions are open as conditions allow.
For information on today's activities, attractions, and dining options, please check Today on Grouse

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These days are a flurry of wildlife activity on top of Grouse Mountain.  Many mammals and birds are nest building, feeding young or just otherwise active and feeding after a long winter.

One of our more common avian residents is the Barn Swallow.  These guys arrive from migration in mid-May and begin to find suitable nesting locations and partners.  Once they have found a good spot they then scope out some building materials.

Barn Swallows build their nests one mouthful at a time.  They gather mud, small sticks, grass and mash it all together with a special saliva mixture that they then stick under the eaves of buildings.  When not around human structures they often use rocky overhangs and projections as anchors for their nests. 

It was fascinating to watch these guys for a short while as they went back and forth from the mud puddles to the nest on the building, making small additions every time.

Here are some photos: