Dear Editor,

For over 20 years, the cliff swallows have been returning to the Nederland Post Office to build their homes, nest, and raise their young. Most of us locals enjoy spending time watching them till they depart in the Fall.

Suddenly, the Post Office staff made the arbitrary decision to remove the swallows’ homes. This was done out of concern for the health (poop), possible safety, and convenience of us all. The swallows rebuilt them. The custodian removed them again. On and on causing the swallows trauma at a critical time of year when they are sheltering eggs.

I could understand removing the nests that are built above the entry doors into the Post Office. There are ways to prevent it from occurring in certain areas. The south side eaves and the east side eaves are not directly in a walkway affecting anything. Yes, the ground may have some poop on it. So what!

The swallows are not a bunch of urban or landfill squatters. And there is something called the Migratory Birds Treaty Act. As someone had said to me, “We are mountain people and we are used to walking through mud, poop and a lot of other questionable things”.

Atashnaa Medicineshield Werner
Nederland