Matty and I just got back from our week of volunteering at Shawnee State Park. In addition to working with the snakes and helping in the nature center, we cleared brush, poison ivy, honeysuckle, and multiflora roses to help create a new trail that will lead from the boat ramp all the way around Turkey Lake to the lodge road. Before I post any of those photos (
I got a few cool shots of interesting insects...and a Timber Rattlesnake), I thought I'd better finish off part three of the tree swallow series. In the end, the tree swallows moved on, and the house wrens went back to domestic bliss, but before the dispute ended, the male flew over close to me. I could see he was holding a wispy strand of soft nesting material in his right foot...
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| A male Tree Swallow carries nesting material in his right foot. |
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| ...the striking metallic blue feathers on his back contrast beautifully with the white feathers on his neck, chest and belly. |
These photos were all taken on May 7, 2012 at Magee Marsh in Toledo, Ohio. I was at the
Biggest Week in American Birding festival. This is part three of the series:
Click
here for part 1 (
focuses on a yearling female at the nesting cavity).
Click
here for part 2 (
focuses on a territory dispute between two House Wrens and two Tree Swallows).
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26 comments:
he's really beautiful. :)
Wow! Love his colour.
Wonderful photos, Kelly! And so the tree swallows continued their search for their first home, probably in a more secluded neighborhood, and the house wrens shook out their ruffled feathers and got back to work on their nest building that was so rudely interrupted by the interlopers. Whew!! Quite the drama!
Hi kelly!!!.. I really like this litte bird.. Great shots.. Congrat and greetings from Spain
Great shots, Kelly! We have lots of Tree Swallows here; every time I visit the duck ponds they're swooping over the water snapping up bugs.
What a stunning bird Kelly.
Excellent shots.
These are stunning shots Kelly. Swallows are a bird that so often we are trying to see detail while they tear across the sky. Always a treat when they sit still for a bit.
Such a beautiful contrast between the whites and the blues!! Gorgeous shots as well.
Such a beautiful bird. Those white feathers look so soft they almost look like fur.
Beautiful bird and great captures.
Lovely images Kelly. They are similar to the colour of the House Martins that visit UK in summer.
Beautiful shot, Kelly! Such a handsome bird! I always marvel at the tiny beak, which I guess is perfect for picking insects out of the air.
Gorgeous shots of the male Tree Swallow Kelly! The detail is incredible and difficult to get with the high contrast of the white and electric blue. I love just watching any of the swallows in flight and am lucky to have Tree Swallows nesting on one of my bluebird trails.
The previous post is equally marvelous with super shots of the House Wrens!
They are such pretty little birds. I really like their iridescent blue coloring.
Howdee Kelly! Your tree swallow posts are awesome! Fabulous photos.
I look forward to photos from your week at Shawnee.
they are so beautiful!
One of the things I love about your blog is encountering in detail so many lovely birds that I have never seen before - often I've never even heard of. On top of that you take really superb photos of them - thanks for sharing them all!!
Beautiful, Kelly, very lovely and interesting.
Congratulations and thanks for sharing so much beauty.
Hi Kelly
Wow what great photos.
Guy
Oh, how I've missed the beauty here Kelly! Just so gorgeous my friend!
These are the Best tree swallow photos I've ever seen! Superb!
...thank you everyone, this fellow made the photography easy. He flew up and sat still (which is remarkable) and gave me clear shots of his gorgeous feathers. I usually chase these birds through the air with my camera...it was nice that he sat still on a branch! :-)
mamma mia!!! Wow these are superb shots Kelly! So sharp and colourful! Wow sumptuous and well done!
He is sooo handsome, wonderful detailed views.
I just found one of these sitting in my driveway. I believe it is stunned by a car. I place it in a box with a T-shirt and food and water. Hoping that it gets up and flies away on its own.
I just found one of these in my driveway I believe it was stunned by a car. I placed in a box with T-shirt food and water, hoping it will fly away on its own.
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