One bird that fills me to overflowing with joy is the tree swallow. I fell in love with these aerial artistes when they started nesting here in our yard. I had hoped for purple martins, but it seems that our place is better suited for the TRES.
While we haven't seen "our" tree swallows yet this year (they are OVERDUE. Where the hell are they?) Armleder Park gave me my TRES fix the other day.
I could look at them all day. They are one of the most comfortable birds, happy to fly right over us and be so relaxed as to land right where they had begun. Their voice is like liquid. Their iridescence is impossible to explain....sterling blue and then suddenly flat black, then sometimes an almost green. My heart is happier every time I see one.
Happy sigh.
Another bird that, while not as conventionally beautiful as the tree swallows, makes my breath catch is the song sparrow.
What a song to come from such a "plain" throat.
An interesting find while banding the GHOW chicks at Winton....the girls found a goose, in the woods, on a nest.
And a single egg, strangely wedged under a log:
Will you just look at that goose? That's like a...loaf....of goose.
8 comments:
I never get bored with raptors, Susan - I love them too! But the pretty birds, "the dicky birds" as someone calls them, are awfully pretty and fun to watch also.
Does that goose mean to hatch that egg? Silly thing.
A loaf, a plop, a blob of goose! How'd that egg get under that log? I for one, adore your raptor posts. I learn lots from you- you are my raptor mentor!
I had my first of the year song sparrow yesterday morning. Such a pretty song, happy to have them back.
A loaf of goose...so funny :o)
Raptor on, girlfriend. But, as they say, variety is the spice of life. Your TRES pics are fab. And, a goofy goose is always welcome! So, you just write about what you want to write about!
What a great post. Lovely pictures and wonderful description of the swallows. The goose photo is fantastic. Where else will we find an egg under a branch like that? Are you sure it isn't a leftover hidden Easter egg? (Delia would like that.)
We do love the raptors and the contents of their nests, but we also love the swallows and song birds as well.
Great minds think alike (stop with the fools already everyone). I actually posted about 'my' tree swallows earlier this week. I have to agree with you that you can't help but smile when you see and hear this guys. I've actually kept track of their return date for the last few years and my scout was 5 days later than normal this year. Yip, I REALLY love these guys!
Glad someone else likes the song sparrow's songs.
That is one big Canada.
No tree swallows here in Minnesota yet, but they're one of my favorite birds in the backyard too....I like that they allow me to get so close for good viewing opportunities.
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