Tuesday 27 October 2020

Wild Bird Wednesday 431 - Welcome Swallow

I noticed these Welcome Swallows (Hirundo neoxena) nesting under the covered pavement near our local shops.  The adults were very busy feeding the chicks - which were only a few days of fledging - and the passers by were busy asking me what I was photographing!

The combination of the light from the florescent tube and the shadow under the roof were a bit of a nightmare really, and I should have taken more shots with flash, which is not be preferred lighting source.

Anyway, I got some shots when the adults were on the nest, but I have had to do more post-processing than normal of these shots (I think you can tell).







The other welcome news from this part of the world is that some of pour lockdown restriction will end tonight - and (with a bit of luck) even more will be relaxed in two weeks.  Which means I will be able to go walking and birding in areas that are not distinctly urban!

Stay well, and don't forget to link up to WBW!  SM

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16 comments:

  1. Look at the mouth on that chick. A bit demanding...

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  2. Lovely to see the Swallows feeding their young Stewart. Yes now Little Egret have spe=read all over Ireland but the year I started birding was the first year that 3 of them came to Castle Espie (WWT)for the first time and I saw them there. Nevertheless I still love seeing them.

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  3. Hari OM
    A welcome sight indeed - and nothing held against post-processing where the results are as natural as this!

    Do be safe when out and about again, Stewart; things are a total mess up this way with lots of local restrictions tightening up again due to folk losing track of the need to remain alert and adhere to masks, limited mingling and keeping distance when doing so... YAM xx

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  4. Doesn't matter where you are you always manage to capture something of interest.

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  5. I had to enlarge the picture to figure it out..Love the colors of the Swallow..Very seasonal..for us! Great find!!Enjoy the rest of your week...Glad you are going to be "free"..We'll never be at the rate we're going..I can't believe how stupid people are..Our leaders are setting very poor examples..Our country is in a mess and if he is re-elected we will never recover from the damage he has done and is doing..and the rich get richer!!!

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  6. Wonderful photos, S! We both show "common' birds in close relation to human habitations this week. Wishing you all the best!

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  7. A bit like our Barn Swallows. We "welcomed" streams of them flying southbound for almost 2 weeks beginning in late September, and one day there were none at all, almost as if the migration gate had closed and locked.

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  8. I prefer the extra processing opposed to using flash on the birds. They are lovely at any rate. So happy you will be able to be out and about a bit.

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  9. Welcome Swallow, it seems to me, is an especially lovely name.

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  10. These shots remind me of the time I went kayaking and as I approached a bridge, there were tons of swallows. Now picture this...me paddling to navigate as well as trying to hold my camera!! So when I had a choice of what to let go of, I chose the paddle. Not good, stewart...not good!!...:)jp

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  11. Great photos!
    Have a blessed day!

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  12. Hello Stewart
    You did the post-processing well, the work was worth it, here in Germany the second lockdown will begin on November 2nd, 2020 ... everything is closed and banned again
    Hopefully we will get through the crisis healthy
    you stay healthy too
    Greetings Frank

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  13. Interesting photos! Glad you will be able to get out and walk.

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  14. What great photos. We had a shortage of swallows this year, not sure where they have all gone :-(
    Keep safe, we are now back into full lockdown!! Diane

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  15. Hi Stewart, are the swallows now in your country ? Beautiful photos. Thank you for your friendship. Have a nice weekend. Greetings Caroline

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