Saturday, July 13, 2013

Cliff Swallows of the Great Basin


The Social Birds of Summer


Anyone fortunate enough to live near a colony of Cliff Swallows in the summer time is in for some fascinating entertainment. 


 The gregarious cliff swallows dart around catching insects in mid-air while making their "twittering" call as they fly back and forth from the nests. 



These social bird's nests are made from mud and saliva and can number in the thousands, space permitting. 


Any structure near a water source with an eve or overhang on cliffs, buildings or bridges may be chosen as nesting sites for the Petrochelidon cliff-nesting swallows.


  And the best part is, the swallows do return to the same location each year. 



A colorful cliff swallow is just about ready to fly off for more mud in the construction of its gourd-shaped nest.



The swallows stay over the summer to breed and raise their young, but will depart for winter migration around Labor Day.



With my Nikon and tripod, my goal is to recreate the scene as it appears in nature, to preserve in a photographic image the awesome, yet simplistic beauty of the scene that waits around a bend or over a hill. Sometimes it's a colorful landscape, and many times I'm allowed in the presence of the numerous creatures that adapt to life in the wild. 




What an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been.  I love it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get treated to new experiences. 

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Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.


 "Reflecting Nature's Artistry" 




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