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Cliff / Cave Swallow
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Hi Folks , today's picture is of the Cliff Swallow , though not a close up of an individual , I thought it would be good to share their interesting behavior. I am not entirely clear on the distinction between cliff and cave swallow , a site I frequent does not list a cave swallow at all but the wiki does , so any one knowing this specifically please feel free to comment on that.
I found these along the highwood river , between High River and the Rocky Mountains. they are a common bird but not really so commonly seen , most typically people will see them building nests on the underside of bridges. I was rather happy to find this group I had never seen them in a natural site like this , the area was sandstone cliffs cut by the passage of the river.
in this area there was a huge amount of swallows , there where sites with large groupings of nests , and then this one , which is a rather new construct , a project in the works so to speak , when done there will be very many nests grouped here. as I was watching these sparrows , they would drop to the slope below where a run off of water was providing the mud for these nests. when completed the nest will be gourd shaped with a necked entrance , and they will build a lot of them in tight colonies. the website I read up on these birds said that the nest are 'built with mud, then lined with grass and feathers' but I noticed that these birds where making frequent trips to my side of the river , and I wonder if that was for grass lining or building material to re-enforce the mud.
it was really quite interesting to see these birds at their nest building.
thanks for stopping in
regards
Art |
eqshannon, bobair, gerbilratz, lousat has marked this note useful
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So this is what they look like close in!!!! I had one of these not but a mile from my wildness cabin and knew what it was but it was hidden in a walking sense buy height and distance...I did come down the hill early to see them take off and sometimes in evenings, more rare, to see them return. A Super capture Art. This is where they really live!
Bob
- bobair
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 384 W: 84 N: 1259]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(4614) - [2008-06-28 21:29]
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Hi Art,
this is one heck of a shot and if I may ask, were you at Hogg Park for this shot?The details are superb and really shows their nests so very well.It is this sort of shot that really shows in context just how wonderful nature is.Tomorrow I'm off to Frank Lake and hopefully get some Pelicans and maybe young Grebes.The iso you used is high but even so I see very little graininess and I wish that the shutter speed were faster but that is not always an option as it is always hard to photo into areas where the sun hardly shines.Thanks Art for giving us all this special view. Bob
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- arfer
![Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-n.gif)
(0) - [2008-06-28 22:40]
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Hello Art
A lovely capture of this swallow colony.
The pov is excellent.
It looks like a very busy place.
TFS
Rob
Good shot, not enough of these "natural" environment shots, it's good to see where they live for a change. Interesting cliff formations, showing the nests on "terraces"... fine work and an informative upload.... tfs, regards h
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- lousat
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1107 W: 6 N: 3063]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif)
(11326) - [2008-06-29 2:16]
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Hi Art,i think isn't easy to take a pic like that,very excellent work,the point of view make a difference,finally something to different on Tn,great idea and great realisation,my best compliments,Luciano
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