Cliff Swallows under the Wabash River bridge at New Harmony....

We drove out to New Harmony, IN today to have lunch, and to see if the Cliff Swallows were under the old Wabash River bridge.

Yes, they were!  I love watching the swallows. 

They were flying all around the bridge and back and forth to the nests that are plastered to the underside of the bridge. 

 I think they were working on the nests....adding more mud and possibly cottonwood fluff that was floating around everywhere in the air.  

 There were birds inside some of the nests and others flying back and forth.  I find the clusters of mud nests they build so interesting to look at.  Would love to see one up close.  I see a spot here where one used to be...maybe I should look on the ground :-)

 You can see a couple of heads sticking out and one bird flying off.

 Looking closely at the mouth of the nest it has gooey white stuff all over it. Another reason I think they are still working on the nests....closing the opening more.

A cluster on each side of this beam and a bird at two of the nests. 

Peeking out. 

 Sticking a head in. 

 "Just a little more mud, dear.....I'm not quite satisfied with the baby's room yet!"

 The water in the Wabash was high.  The water on the left is out of the banks and up on the boat ramp area.

The bridge itself is so old and in need of repairs that they have closed it.  This is a hardship for the farmers who have land on both sides.  Also, people who lived in Illinois and worked in New Harmony (or vise versa) now have a much longer drive.  Illinois and Indiana can't get together on who should have to pay to fix it or if it will be fixed at all.

This is the section of the bridge where they swallows build their nests.....over the land, rather then the water.

 Shooting the bridge reflection in a puddle.

I'm not sure I would cross this bridge at 25 mph.  I would rather race over it and hope it didn't fall in before I got to the other side!