If these are tree swallows, the babies immediately fly away when they fledge. They don't land on the ground. I've had tree swallows successfully nest for three years in a row. This year something happened to the mother and I found her dead in the nest box and the eggs never hatched. About 2 weeks after they hatch the babies are ready to fly. They are excellent flyers and they just leap out of the box and are gone. They return to the yard the same day a few times and then you never see them again. The parents leave as well once the young have fledged. Tree swallows also nest in boxes or cavities, not open nests. So if there was no nesting box nearby, they probably aren't tree swallows; maybe a barn or cliff swallow. I don't know the the fledging habits of barn or cliff swallows.

Dedtired, It does sound funny, doesn't it? The eagles have often been referred to has the Hays eagles and in turn have been named, starting with last years eaglet, H1 and this year was H2, H3 and H4...H4 was the runt but was the funniest one to watch...He surely was a survivor and in the end won everyone's heart...He was the last to fledge and I know, along with me, many, many tears were shed...But, happy tears... We have heard and seen them back at the nest to rest but in a few months they'll be on their own...These parents have been unbelievable..Soon after the eggs were layed, we had a very, rainy night and the male, flew into the nest and actually covered the female with his wing, while she was sitting on the eggs.. Come Fall, the pair will start to repair the same nest and get ready for their next family and, sadly, the present babies will not be welcome but thought of as intruders...But, the babies will continue to mature and in about 5 years will find their mates and start families...It really has been a wonderful adventure, watching "my" babies grow.....

...but it seems such a slow process compared to other birds I've seen. Yesterday morning around 11 the first bird left the nest. He's still within the confines of the kitchen garden. It's now been 28 hours. This morning the second and third birds left. One is remaining in the garden with the first; the other has moved on to the front yard, but is staying in the azaleas. Both parents are keeping a very watchful, vocal eye on their young. How long does it typically take before these young birds are moving on and not so susceptible to predators?

Today my 3rd nest of 6 babies fledged. I went out several hours after seeing the first one leave. I noticed something hanging out of the hole. Upon further inspection, it was a dead bluebird. It had been dead for sometime and wasn't nearly the size of the fledglings. It's head was out of the box and hanging by the neck with remainder of the body inside. Would the parents tried to get rid of the dead bird? I have not read anywhere that they would do so.