Thursday, August 26, 2010

Sat With Swallows

I haven’t a lot to report today. My walk on the patch was quiet in the strong east wind, but to be positive, a wind with some east in it is always more productive for bringing migrants, but it often takes a day or two to provide the goods.

From Lane Ends heading west towards Pilling Water I noticed a number of Meadow Pipits arriving from across the bay, then as I walked further more jumped out of the grassy sea wall where they both fed and sheltered. By the time I reached Pilling Water I counted 22 Meadow Pipits and 5 Wheatear with a few of each fence hopping behind the sea wall.

I found parties of both Linnets and Goldfinches today, about 35 and 30 respectively, but only 1 Pied Wagtail. The wildfowlers have now released their Red-legged Partridge, as I found when, as the first person along the wall today, I caused a rush of panicked wings en masse as about 120 birds made for the safety of the pools; little do they know the fate that awaits them at their refuge.

After that I didn’t venture near the pools for fear of causing another fright of both partridge and duck so I watched about 40 Swallows and 10 House Martins feeding over the pools and the dyke as a Greenshank hurtled in from the marsh and a Little Egret floated out in the opposite direction. A circling Sparrowhawk distracted the hirundines from feeding for a while before they went back to the sheltered ditch and the abundant insects. So because it was a nice sunny morning and not a lot happening otherwise, I sat down near the Swallows and watched the recently fledged young ones resting but also watching and waiting for adults with food.












Swallow or Barn Swallow

Well let's face it, they won't be around much longer so let us enjoy them while we can.

5 comments:

Bhavesh Chhatbar said...

Wo! These are mindblowingly unbelievably beautiful photos!! I'm super-impressed!!!

Mary Howell Cromer said...

I love these! Would you believe that being out in the country, there are no barn Swallows near. I have to travel several miles away to be able to glimpse them and they are such a delightful way to spend time, viewing their air antics. These are brilliant deliveries of these beauties~

Amila Salgado said...

Beautiful close ups of Barn Swallows, Phil. Hard to pick a favourite, but I will go with the 6th from top.

I got my first for this migratory season on 24 Aug.

Ayuwat Jearwattanakanok said...

Lovely photos of these young swallows.
Lots of them have already arrived South-east Asia. Next time when I'm in Japan in October, there will be no swallow left over there.

Stuart Price said...

Great Swallow shots Phil, they won't be around here much longer either......

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