The Cliff Swallow nest I found yesterday at the rt. 144 bridge between
Ellicott City and Oella appears to have been usurped by House Sparrows.

I returned today at 7:00 a.m.  I spent about an hour, and never saw a
swallow enter or depart.  About 7:30, a male House Sparrow showed up, 
perching nearby.  A short time later, it was joined by a female, which
ultimately entered the nest.  

I did glimpse on two occassions what might have been Cliff Swallows, flying
from the river up Tiber Creek, but am not positive.

Also, yesterday, I never observed swallows enter or exit the nest.  I did
see a head poke out on several occassions, but light was so low, I cannot
say if it was a swallow or sparrow.  In any case, nobody was visiting with
the freqency of the Barn Swallows that are nesting there.  I did, however,
positively observe a pair of Cliff Swallows.  White forehead, reddish rump,
short, squarish tail.  And I did photo the nest, a dome-like mud nest,
attached to the ceiling, with entrance tunnel.

Kurt Schwarz
HowCo
goawaybird at comcast dot net