Hidden homes under Highway 52 - KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and Sports

Hidden homes under Highway 52

Updated:
By Jonathan Kegges, Meteorologist - bio | email

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- If you think it's busy on Highway 52, just look under it a bridge.

Located right off of Highway 14 beneath the Highway 52 on-ramp, you'll find a huge colony of cliff swallows.

"They like to nest in a place where they have a rough edge that they can put the nest up against cause they build a new nest every year and they like to be under an overhang. This is not uncommon, there's a number of bridges you can find like this where you'll find 200 or 300 birds all together. It is cool, it's really neat. I love them," said Joel Dunnette of Zumbro Valley Audubon.

Water is also key for these birds as it will provide them with mud to build their nests and where there is water there's also insects.

"They're out catching insects, bringing them back to the young, bringing them back to their mate. They're very busy," added Dunnette.

He says it is a pretty awesome sight if you catch them at the right time.

"You see them on a lot of bridges around southeastern Minnesota these days. If you watch for the action you can usually go under and see a few."

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