Monday, September 10, 2012

Drop Off Point

Swallows have been the fun birds to capture this year.  I had to get out and bird.  I began my job again after a long hot summer and just needed to unwind.  So I headed on the way home and stopped off at Sweetwater for a short hour walk in the afternoon heat.  I never know what to expect at this place and came prepared.
I remember saying before that I may never get Barn Swallows, Tree Swallows, Cliff Swallows or Swallow anything.  They're so quick.  So fast.  But these baby birds need feeding which require the adults to feed them:)  And that is how I got to get close and personal with my subjects.
The key to taking pics of swallows is tracking their flight patterns.  It's like clockwork.  Juvenile flaps wings and says, "AH AH!" and moments later the parent quickly flies by and deposits food into their mouths. Several minutes pass by and the juvenile gives me, inadvertantly, the warning that someone is coming to feed them.  And like clockwork the parent shows up and does it all over again.
I was pretty excited about this shoot until I saw the epic photography by Warren.  You want up close and personal?  Click here.  I still am amazed by his photography of these beautiful birds.
So I have changed my tune from, "It's impossible to capture swallows in Tucson." to "It's completely possible."
One more round.....
.....and yet another......
....until the sweat and heat are too much for me.  And it's time to call it a wrap.
I wait one last time until the parent swallow flies off and then I go home.
                                         

19 comments:

  1. Yes. I think you sussed out the Swallows there Chris, and the naive young birds are much more approachable than experienced adults. Happy snapping this week.

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  2. Nice pictures of the Swallows Chris.

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  3. Well done on getting such great Barn Swallow shots - Chris. I find flight shots very difficult!! The baby birds are rather cute :) I love this species but they will be leaving us soon for the winter. Its always wonderful to see them when they return.

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  4. It is a cute sight to watch the baby swallows being fed by the adults. Your photos are great. I really like the coloring of the Barn Swallows, they are pretty birds. Great photos. Have a wonderful day.

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  5. Love these shots! So fun to see them in action!

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  6. Great captures! It is definitely not an easy job ! Well done~

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  7. My photos of swifts are just blurr.

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  8. It's great that you can recharge after work by going out to take pictures :) I checked out Warren's blog and he has some amazing close ups. But yours, with the silhouette of the birds set against the blue sky, are just as awesome. I love how your first shot and the last tell the whole parenting story.

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  9. How cute! The baby swallows wait with their mouth wide open! Didn’t your neck get strained by looking up all the time?

    Yoko

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    1. It wasn't too bad. The heat was the worst though. When I start feeling like I'm about to pass out, I'm outta there:)

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  10. I'm afraid it looks like the little guy on the right wasn't getting his share. :) These are amazing shots. You are so brave to be out in this heat!

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  11. The barn swallow built a birds nest on top of the light fixture outside our laundry room the last 2 years. I know how they swoop, they dive bomb right at you. You got some very good photos Chris.

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  12. Well done Chris,
    A good bit of field work there :-)

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  13. You got some lovely shots here :)

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  14. So nice especially with this curbed branch.

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