Sapa corner 

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

I hope you guys are doing well. 

Today, I’d love to share with you the life of a barn swallow family. 

Last year, there was a barn swallow couple staying with us in Sapa from March to June. The birds built their nest under the porch roof of our kitchen. They built the nest with mud and grass stems. 

When the barn swallow couple finished their work, the female laid six eggs. Every day, this couple rotated to brood the eggs. After one month, they welcomed six cute baby chicks into their family. Day by day, mom and dad picked up insects to feed their nestlings together.

In the following months, the chicks grew up very quickly, and soon had enough feathers. Their parents taught them how to fly and find food. After a while, the little barn swallows became adults. They began looking for partners. And then, they left their parents and started building their own families in their own nests. One day in late June, the barn swallows migrated to the south to shelter from Sapa’s cold. 

The barn swallows brought a lot of joy to my family because of their singing. They also gave us valuable lessons about how to love and take good care of each member in the family. 

Let’s see if the barn swallows will be back with us this spring. 

Wishing you a lovely day. 

Cheers, 

An An