Workers remove swallow nests
School officials say mud removed before eggs were laid
Kent Middle School workers removed underdeveloped swallow nests from a building despite promises made last year to outraged residents and environmentalists to let the nests be.
John Schellhorn, who lives next to the school, said he noticed about 100 cliff swallows beginning to build their mud nests on the end of a building near the athletic field last week. When he returned on Monday, the nests were removed.
“They were all there again, swarming like bees by the hundreds, building nests,” Schellhorn said. “But when I came back they were wiped out. I don’t think they ever got to the point of laying eggs, but that’s only because they didn’t allow them to build their nests like they said they would.”
Last year, the school was criticized for removing dozens of federally protected nests, some possibly with hatchlings inside. The birds are protected by the Migratory Birds Treaty of 1918.
“This did happen this past summer when I first came on board on the Kentfield School District,” said Raquel Rose, superintendent. “Unbeknownst to me, the nests were removed and we took full responsibility for that action and promised to not do it again.”
Last week, Rose said the maintenance director told workers to remove the mud nests because droppings were landing on the heads of students receiving music instruction outside. She said the nests were not fully developed and did not have eggs or hatchlings.
“There was some beginning of nesting by swallows,” she said. “I do not believe we destroyed fully developed nests. … There was no intent for us to do that again.”
Ken Paglia, a spokesperson with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said while these migrating birds should be protected, there are conditions in which removal of nests is fine.
“Obviously, we don’t want nests destroyed and washed away. That is not ideal. They are protected,” Paglia said. “If there was an egg in the nest, if there was yolk on ground or evidence of that, then it would an issue for our law enforcement … But as long as it’s just a nest then there probably won’t be consequences.”
Rose said after speaking with representatives from WildCare and residents, they’ve determined that they will not be removing any more nests on campus this season.
“So we are going to let them be,” she said. “We will only continue to clean the ground area. I also shared with one neighbor there are other spots on campus where swallows are nesting undisturbed. It’s evidence that we support these migratory birds as long as they do not interrupt student instruction.”