Another bird post, shorter, I promise...

[summer_jackel]

So, it is officially exquisite weather over here. Lucy and I rode our bikes into Cazadero (another teeny little town in the redwoods, several miles away) and had snacks, as is customary, at the general store.

Lucy noticed the little mud barn swallow nest in the eaves. With the baby swallow, possibly ready to fledge, looking down at us with her big, beady black eyes. And her teeeny little beak and bright cinnamon and black feathers and OMG this birdy was CUTE CUTE CUTE. You know what's cuter than a fluffy baby swallow peering at you over the side of her nest? NOTHING.

Awwww, swallows are love. And, which I learned upon confirming my ID of her species in the field guide, quite unrelated to swifts, which was news to me. neat.

Comments

[genmaicha.livejournal.com]

We've got Cliff Swallows over here. Peering dark faces with bright pale foreheads. Adorable. :) Still constructing their nest, and just the one, though last year there were 17 nests under our eaves.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

awwwwwwwww. I rechecked internet sources; the little cutie I saw today is definitely a barn swallow, and now I can tell. ;)

I was at this beautiful place on the Eel river two summers ago, where a colony of cliff swallows had made their nests on a sheer rock overlooking the river above the nice deep swimming hole I was enjoying. Watching them swoop in and out with food was so wonderful, as was the occasional glimpse of the babies. This was the same day and place where I saw 4 osprey and a bald eagle fishing salmon. Just an extraordinary, remember-it-forever day.

[skorzy.livejournal.com]

Swallows are adorable.. except when they nest directly above the entry to your house... yuck.

[archteryx.livejournal.com]

I'll tell you what's cuter then a fuzzy baby swallow peering over the nest at you. One in your hand! (Yes, I've rescued a newly fledged Barn Swallow before, and put it in a tree where the nasty things on the ground wouldn't get it).