Wednesday 16 August 2017

Wild Bird Wednesday 264 - Barn Swallow

Continuing with birds from Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve, these are a family of Barn Swallows ( Hirundo rustica).  As a kid they would have just be 'Swallows' and for most people in the UK I assume that they still are.  

By the time I took these pictures the light was truely appalling - so I have to say I am rather pleased with these images.  In fact I basically gave up taking pictures and just watched as the mist made it feel like I was shooting through soup!  Which just goes to show, that really really should just keep shooting!

I was really missing my tripod for these pictures, as it was hard to keep the camera on frame and look for the incoming parent birds.  I got a lot of shots with partial parents!












As ever, you can join in with WBW by clicking on the blue button below the thumbnails.  SM



29 comments:

  1. Awesome feeding shots! I love barn swallows! Very nice.

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  2. Amazing shots of the parents feeding the young Barn Swallows Strange to think these birds visit us soon. Thanks for hosting. I'll link up tomorrow. Greetings Jo

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  3. Lots of oohs and aahs there Stewart. You maybe didn't notice with being an infrequent visitor, but our Swallows are way down in numbers. The usual suspects - agriculture, barn conversions and apathy.

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  4. It is always exciting to see the adults deeding their young and these are great shots. Thanks for hosting and I hope you have a lovely week.

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  5. Absolutely fantastic photo's.

    All the best Jan

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  6. Great shots Stewart, Its exteemly difficut to capture that kind photo, I know I've tried.
    All the best, Gordon.

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  7. Wow I never see the swallows other than in the air, great shots, I love them.
    Cheers Diane

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  8. The feeding shots are magical. Your perseverance paid off.

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  9. Hello Stewart, the swallows are so cute. Wonderful collection of photos. Thanks for hosting.
    Happy Tuesday, enjoy your day!

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  10. Great photos! You really got some good ones.

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  11. Very lovely pictures of the swallows!

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  12. Well, you do keep out doing yourself ... these pretty little birds put on quite a show for you and you captured it perfectly. Our Barn Swallows look the same but different coloring, and they for sure behave the same way ... Only mine stomp their feet when Mom doesn't get there with the food fast enough (maybe they are USA "me" generation birds :). Love it, Stewart.

    Andrea @ From The Sol

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  13. Hello Stewart!:) What magical moments these are. Wonderful photos of these darling swallows, being fed on the memorial bench.

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  14. Stewart, great captures. There is a barn swallow nesting at a vegetable stand that we visit. Thanks for sharing.

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  15. Beautiful! I took some photos of bank swallows recently. I was glad to get three photos out of hundreds

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  16. Soooo sweet! se are wonderful photos of some wonderful birds!

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  17. Wonderful views of them feeding and snuggling! They look like melanistic versions of our Barn Swallows in the US

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  18. What a fabulous series of these lovely birds!

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  19. Great shots of the barn swallows! l

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  20. Truly wonderful series of photos Stewart - what charming birds!

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  21. Another favorite..They used to dive bomb me when I was mowing..going after bugs...Beautiful birds...BUT..they used to rob the Blue birds nests..But, I guess, that's what birds do..wonderful pictures..

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  22. Une mémoire bien honorée avec ces petites hirondelles ;-)
    Céline & Philipe

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  23. How sweet are some of those photos, Stewart especially the ones where the birds are snuggling next to each other!!! I am a hopeless romantic, can you tell?!?! I also should be around more...I finally got my laptop and although learning, I can use it...YEAh!!!!!!...:)JP

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  24. Wonderful shots -- the feeding one, all the fly-ins ... and the sweet ones where they are nestling in together..... just beautiful .

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  25. Great photos Stewart!
    It's pretty clear that these are very social birds.

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