Tuesday, 10 May 2011

World Bird Wednesday - Welcome Swallows.

This type of swallow is the commonest type of swallow in Australia – it’s a Welcome Swallow (Hirundo neoxena). If you live in the Northern Hemisphere you will probably be familiar with the Barn Swallow (H. rustica). The Welcome Swallow lacks the black chest bar of the Bar Swallow, and the underparts are less white – but they behave in very similar ways.
At about Easter each year I often see large flocks of Welcome’s down by Swan Bay Jetty car park – and they seem to like sitting on the wing mirrors of cars! The red in the back ground of the first image is caused by a dense growth of plants in a salt marsh area behind the car park – most of these plants have set seed and have red seed spikes.











You can find more world birds here, and you can see the latest post on my other blog by clicking the Paying Ready Attention link on the RHS of the page.




Enjoy the birds.

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20 comments:

  1. Arija10 May 2011 at 21:22

    Great shots Stewart, I've never seen them quite so comfortable around humans before.

    Thank you so much for identifying my female Satin Bowerbird. I had never seen one in victoria before. It was quite a thrill to see her.

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  2. TexWisGirl11 May 2011 at 00:02

    such cute little birds!

    thanks for dropping by my blog today and leaving a comment so i could 'follow you home'. :)

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  3. eileeninmd11 May 2011 at 07:39

    Very pretty, I think the birds love to look at themselves in the car mirrors. Great captures.

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  4. Fjällripan11 May 2011 at 07:46

    Beautiful birds! Funny that he sat on the car :) The first photo have a very nice background to, lovely coulor :)

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  5. theconstantwalker11 May 2011 at 07:59

    Lovely images of a beautiful summer visitor.

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  6. FAB11 May 2011 at 08:26

    Super images of the arial acrobat that also looks so composed when perched. Very interesting to note the differences in this species.

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  7. Al11 May 2011 at 10:16

    Great images. I love the bird on the car mirror!

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  8. Springman11 May 2011 at 13:34

    I love swallows. How could anyone help but admire the flight of these acrobats and then to see those swept back wings and dazzling colors. WOW!

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  9. mick11 May 2011 at 14:59

    Nice photos and very interesting to see the birds perching on car mirrors.

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  10. Malgorzata Ingstad11 May 2011 at 16:32

    How lucky with the bird on the car mirror! The first photo is great with red background - I do not know such swallows at all! Oh my, how much I learn on WBW!

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  11. KaHolly11 May 2011 at 20:39

    I came across a swarm of barn swallows down a dirt road near the ocean one afternoon, an old fishing village. There were so many and they were so undaunted by our vehicle, they's land in the road in front of our moving truck and we'd have to stop and wait for them!! They are so beautiful, it was our pleasure.

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  12. Bill S.11 May 2011 at 20:51

    What funny shots. You are right, we have barn swallows that are somewhat like them.

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  13. BirdingMaine11 May 2011 at 21:40

    The name Welcome Swallow would be a fitting name for our northern hemisphere Barn Swallow as its arrival welcomes spring. Great post!

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  14. Anonymous12 May 2011 at 00:17

    That first shot is beautiful! I love the soft red background of the plants. Great series.

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  15. Unknown12 May 2011 at 02:36

    Wow he sure came close!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  16. Sondra12 May 2011 at 05:37

    I learn a new bird with almost every click on WBW..this one is super looking!!

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  17. Crafty Green Poet12 May 2011 at 06:32

    I love swallows and your photos are excellent, lovely to get them landing so close like that

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  18. Pat Ulrich13 May 2011 at 01:44

    Cool shots, love the color of the salt marsh in the backdrop!

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  19. Mike B. @ slugyard.com17 May 2011 at 14:19

    I've been enjoying watching the swallows high overhead, hopefully eating mouthfuls of insects!

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  20. TexWisGirl31 May 2011 at 23:01

    these are so cute! love the one sitting on the side mirror. :)

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