I figure I could write something about how important and relevant it is to watch Barn Swallow fledglings learn to fly, but really, that would be just so much hooey. I simply enjoy watching them. And I’ve been doing a lot of it this week.

When it’s safe that is.

You see I can’t see them from inside the house because they are nested way up in the eaves. I have to go outside and pretty much stand underneath the nest.

And the parents are, let us say, quite attentive and dedicated. If they catch me looking up at the nest I’m not long for that part of the yard. They make a couple of lowish passes near me, and if that doesn’t get me gone, they start to bee-line right for my head. Wings partly tucked, they zero in like they have laser-sites in their beaks.

This week the four youngsters are taking their first laps above the yard. Initially just a few tentative feet from the house in small semi-circles from the nest. And then with each passing day the circle’s diameter is widening a few feet. Soon perhaps they will test out the next yard over, and then the next.

Between about 08:00 and 10:00 the whole family takes to the wing for a display that would put the Blue Angels to shame. The kids stop off to rest now and then on the back porch roof, much to the delight of our cats sitting in the upstairs windows. But, mostly the young birds practice flying (guided and guarded by their parental units) for a couple of hours.

Then all at once the sibs cram themselves back in the nest, looking like one or more of them will surely tumble out at any second.

But no one ever does.

And best of all, ma & pa disappear for a few hours and I’m able to do a bit more unfettered watching.

So yesterday I looked to make sure the guardians were gone and got out my camera and tripod. I checked the light and positioned the pod, got into a very uncomfortable squat behind the up-angled camera/lens, metered the birds, set the aperture and shutter, decided on a couple of promising compositions, checked the light again, and was ready to make some images.

Unfortunately, it seems the parents don’t go terribly far. Apparently they still have a eye on the kids. Within the relatively short few minutes it took me to setup for the photos, I noticed the now familiar rifle bullet of a father Swallow setting a perfect trajectory for my head.

I did manage to make a few images before I was chased away, and though I am a pretty lame wildlife photographer under the best of circumstances (which this clearly was not), one of the images turned out o.k.

So I wanted to share it with you. Not because it’s a great photo—it isn’t, but because the birds are just so darn cute all packed in the nest looking around. Having a good laugh I’m sure at the sight of me running into the house toting my tripod and waving one arm over my head.

As if me flailing my arms would actually stop that father bird…

- Barn Swallow Fledglings -

I’ll probably be sad when they are all strong enough to fly away and get on with their lives. I know I’ll miss seeing them in the mornings.

But maybe one or two of them will return and raise their families at our house. Certainly the crazy arm waving lady will provide plenty of entertainment for their nestlings.

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