Swallows

Yesterday and Monday I was being dive bombed by a pair of barn swallows every time I carried a load of stall cleanings out to the pile, or stepped outside to check on the horses in the paddocks. This same pair of swallows, or at least near kin of theirs, have made a nest at that end of the barn every year for a long time now. And every year they dive bomb us so we won't hurt the chicks, which the parents leave no more than a tall person's arm length above our heads by the nest they use. There are three chicks this year - we can see their heads popping up above the nest to call for food every couple of hours. Until they are fledged, the parents will help control the mosquitoes.

Tonight we were practicing on-water rescues on a local pond in our kayaks. As we finished that work for a final paddle the swallows were out skimming and bounding over over the water, scooping up the small bugs that congregate just inches above the surface.

The barn swallows are quite pretty birds, a well marked rust colored head and wings with black and white markings. The swallows over the water this evening were less bright, but still beautifully marked with white bellies and soft blue-grey heads and wings.

Swallows are a lovely family of birds, or whatever would be the correct term. At times it seems as though they are following me around.