Swallows and More.

Barn Swallow

Last Friday morning, three of us visited Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.  The first thing we observed was a Tom Turkey displaying for a hen.  We then continue down to the morning blind, where we met Shawn Carey, who was set up to photograph, hopefully, the swallows landing on some perches.  There were a number of birds flitting by and Canada geese coming in to land.  I was able to get Canada geese landing and a female red-winged blackbird in a tree singing.

Canada Goose Landing

Red-winged Blackbird Singing

However, for the time that we were there with Shawn, no swallows landed on his perches.  At a swallow box near the blind, a female Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) was bringing in material to build the nest inside the box.  It was fun watching her as she struggled to get large pieces of material through a small hole.  In the meantime, the male tree swallow sat on top of the box and watched.

Tree swallow Building a Nest

Tree swallow Building a Nest

Up above and a little further away, barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) kept landing on a bare branch and by continuing to watch and with some luck.  I captured some pictures of the barn swallows in flight taking off from the branch.

Barn Swallow in Flight

Barn Swallow in Flight

Shawn left, but we continue to stay and finally a tree swallow and barn swallows landed on his perch, giving us some decent photographs.

Tree Swallow Singing

Tree Swallow Singing

Barn Swallows

As I have said in the past nature photography needs patience, no matter how long that it may take.

Barn Swallows Nest Building at the Stone Barn

Photographing the Activity of the Barn Swallow Nest Building

The Stone Barn that is located on the property of the Allen Pond Massachusetts Audubon Sanctuary, besides being a location for events is also providing homes for birds.  In the cellar, Phoebes and Barn Swallows are nesting.  Outside under the eaves, House Sparrows have nests.  On the sliding track above the main door, a pier about swallows are building their nest.  As you said outside and watch all this activity going on around you, you can hear many different types of birds singing.  In fact, yesterday morning, while photographing flowers and some of the birds that were present, we saw 31 different species of birds.

Originally, the plan for Sunday was to do some more flower macro photography, however, within a half-hour of arriving the wind picked up in the flowers were blowing in the breeze.  I definitely will have to make a Mike Moats wind box http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUhbhXbslW4, so I can photograph flowers in there is a slight breeze blowing.

The morning turned into photographing and observing the barn swallows building their nest over the main door of the stone barn.

Here are some facts about Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), first is the most widespread species of swallow in the world.  It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and both North and South America.  There are six different subspecies which breed in the northern hemisphere and four of them are very migratory and there wintering grounds cover most of the southern hemisphere, including northern Australia

Barn swallows utilize mud pellets reinforced with twigs to build their cup-shaped nest in line the nest with grasses, feathers, algae and other soft material.  Both male and female barn swallows help construct the nest, however, more often by the female.

Barn Swallow Nest

Barn Swallow Scraping Mud from Its Beak

Barn Swallow Bringing Nesting Material

Pair of Barn Swallows Working on the Nest

Barn Swallow with Mud Pellet

Barn Swallow Returning to Nest

Barn Swallow Leaving Nest

In Massachusetts, barn swallow trends show signs of wide-ranging decline, so Massachusetts Audubon started the Big Barn Study. http://www.massaudubon.org/Birds_and_Birding/birdstowatch/bigbarnstudy/index.php and are asking people to become involved and submit observations.

Here are photographs of a pair of swallows building their nest at the Stone Barn.  Majority of the photographs of by my grandson Kyle with some of course, taken by me.