Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
A look back at the summer of a crazy year.!
I took this shot and hundreds more from the landrover parked next to a tiny pond I created a few years ago.
My friend Mark farms the other side of the lane and called to say the swallows in the barn had fledged.
This is what I had been waiting for. I cut an alder branch about 5 metres long and stuck it in the soft mud. With a long forked stick, I pushed the branch over the pond until it was horizontal.
Even before I got back in the landrover, the first fledgling landed. A slight adjustment of the position of the landrover to get the back drop I wanted, and I was set for what was to become a fantastic few hours.
Water is a great draw for hirundines with its insect rich habitat and also allows the parents to drink between the continuous feeding of the hungry fledglings.
I posted a couple at the time but this is the shot I really had in mind. I wanted the wings fully open and the tail streamers flared and in sync. There was always going to be an element of luck involved because they flew in from every angle, often flying in over the landrover and feeding the young with their back to the camera.
From hundreds of shots, this is the only image like the one I had in mind. It has been selected for the Sussex Wildlife Trust calendar 2021.
Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
A look back at the summer of a crazy year.!
I took this shot and hundreds more from the landrover parked next to a tiny pond I created a few years ago.
My friend Mark farms the other side of the lane and called to say the swallows in the barn had fledged.
This is what I had been waiting for. I cut an alder branch about 5 metres long and stuck it in the soft mud. With a long forked stick, I pushed the branch over the pond until it was horizontal.
Even before I got back in the landrover, the first fledgling landed. A slight adjustment of the position of the landrover to get the back drop I wanted, and I was set for what was to become a fantastic few hours.
Water is a great draw for hirundines with its insect rich habitat and also allows the parents to drink between the continuous feeding of the hungry fledglings.
I posted a couple at the time but this is the shot I really had in mind. I wanted the wings fully open and the tail streamers flared and in sync. There was always going to be an element of luck involved because they flew in from every angle, often flying in over the landrover and feeding the young with their back to the camera.
From hundreds of shots, this is the only image like the one I had in mind. It has been selected for the Sussex Wildlife Trust calendar 2021.