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Red Rumped Swallow


Red Rumped Swallow
Photo Information
Copyright: Murali Santhanam (smurali) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 206 W: 14 N: 552] (3244)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-16
Categories: Birds
Camera: Pentax K10D, Sigma 50 -500mm f4/6.3 DG EX APO HSM
Exposure: f/9.0, 1/500 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-07-19 12:23
Viewed: 308
Points: 6
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hi all,

This picture of Red Rumped Swallow was taken by me back in March. We were driving to Valley School for nature shoot. It had rained the previous day and there were puddles of water on the road side on the way to Valley School. While driving in we noticed that there were a school of Swallows assembled around the puddle. Initially we thought that the Swallows have come to take a drink. But we soon found out that the Swallows were taking turns to pick up mud in their beeks, flew off and returned again after some time. It was clear that the Swallows were collecting mud to build their colony.

Swallows generally build a colony of nests in an open spot (like a wall or a stone) that is protected from rain-fall and easy access by animals but offer adequate sun-light and air. I had published picture of a Swallow Colony taken at Rangana Thittu. The Swallows had chosen one of the inward slanting sides of a rock in the middle of the water to build the nest.

After taking some photoes we proceeded. We could not find the place where they were building the colony. We had noticed this mud picking activity in many places. On the way back we again noticed a group of Swallows picking up. This time it was a family of Red-rumped Swallows and not the Common Swallows found in most places. We tried to park our car as close as possible to take pictures.

The Swallows were still small in the original picture. This picture is cropped to 50% of the breadth and width. I hope I will see them once again some time.

Regards,
Murali Santhanam
bahadir, ramthakur has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Lovely capture Murali. TFS. Greetings,
Bahadır

Great action shot, Murali.
It is rarely that we see a picture of this genre -- birds at work but of a messier kind. It is normal to see a cute one carrying a straw daintily in its beak to build a nest, but seeing this Swallowtail with its face smeared in mud is something different altogether. It has surely a tough job in hand to built its nest.
The fellow looks funny but very determined.
A wonderful picture, indeed.
Ram

Dear Murali, beautiful texture of feathers and very nice view. Amazing birds and it must have been a great sequence to watch them mix this mud clay and take it back to their nest area and paste it there. wonderful shot.
TFS with best regards.vab.

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