Nestlings

[stuny]

My sister-in-law threw a baby shower for our niece Sarah (some photos of it are on our site, under the Family link). When we arrived at her home the area above the front door was not repainted to match the rest of the house. Then we saw why. For the second year in a row a nesting pair of swallows set up a nursery, and began raising another brood. I wanted to take a chair outside to get a better view, but thought it might traumatize the birds. R8/DMR with 28-70.

[semrich]

Stuart,

What a lovely photograph. Swallows are a favorite of mine, I watch them in the evening flying in low over our pool and draging their beaks in the water for a drink, and flying and splashing into the water quickly for a bath. Really great with their flying skills.

Richard

[albert]

Stuart....Here are their Minnesota cousins....this D2 Flash photo was taken two weeks ago. They have since "flown the coup".........The nest was built in a boat's lift-station.

P.S.--Your photo is very nice....please excuse me for piggybacking but the coincidence made me do it.....Al

[fotografr]

Both are neat shots of beautiful and graceful birds. Al, I can hardly believe that dragonfly is sitting next to the nest unscathed. I'd think that would be a pretty good meal for one of them.

Since swallows often swoop along the surface of water to scoop insects, it's not uncommon for them to occasionally pick up an artificial fly when someone is flyfishing. When they become hooked in that manner, they become completely docile and you can gently hold them in your hand to remove the hook. They don't put up the least bit of struggle.

[stuny]

Richard - Thank you. While in Lindos (Rhodes) we saved a swallow that swooped too low and got caught in the pool.

Al - Yours is better than mine, and the youngsters are a bit older, with more color.

Brent - Thank you, and interesting.

[albert]

I know what you mean Brent....when I was a small child (about 50 years ago) I used to reach into their holes on the side of a steep embankment.......I would grab the adults and pull them out.....they were very nice about the whole thing and would then fly away...Al

[robert_parker]

Really like both photographs - the facial expressions of the first are great

[stuny]

Thank you Robert. It seems that baby swallows have rather strange senses of humor. I told them my joke about the drunken driver and the pig, but they looked perplexed rather than amused.

[Edward S. Isaacs]

Babies always look cute, no matter what species.
Heart warming shots.
Thanks.

Ed.







.

[stuny]

Ed -

There have been studies suggesting that the oversized heads and eyes of the young of most animal species tends to bring out nurturing in their own species and in others. Even hyena pups are cute, especially compared to the adults.