Graceful Swallows in the Great Outdoors

I’ve always loved birds but became an avid birdwatcher after I picked up photography years ago. (To me, the zoom on a good camera, is even better than binoculars.)

I see a great variety of birds in my own backyard: hummingbirds, chickadees, wrens, towhees, and junco are some of the regulars.

But there’s one bird that doesn’t visit my yard, though I see them regularly on my walks around Lake Washington: Swallows.

“Slim, streamlined form and graceful flight characterize these sparrow-sized birds.’ Peterson Field Guide

They’re fun to watch as they swoop gracefully and acrobatically over the lake, eating insects on the wing, perfectly designed for the task.

They’re too fast for me to capture in flight, but I have managed to catch them when they take a break. I found this one at Coulon Park last month, posing for me from all angles; a Tree Swallow I believe.

I saw the one below on the other side of the lake, from the Cedar River Trail, also a Tree Swallow or perhaps a Violet-Green, I’m not certain.

I assume these youngsters are Barn Swallows, based on their rufous chest color and their lodging in the eaves of the building nearby.

Finally, last week on the tidelands of Hood Canal, I saw another Swallow. It was sunny and bright and he was far away, so the resulting pictures are blurry, though I like the background. There’s no white, so I’m guessing this is a Barn Swallow too.

Hard for me to tell them apart. Maybe you can.

Sharing my #Wild #Birds, with Sunday Stills.

~ Susanne