Residents in Aotearoa: Swallows

Thursday, 5 December 2024

Swallows

This morning, as Jeanne and I sat on our balcony and sipped the day's first brew, we were entertained by members of a family of Waitakere Garden's winged residents. They undoubtedly started their lives in our potting shed. In fact, the first shot shows them still living at home.

This is our view of the Palms Building during its remediation. It is here that today's aerial acrobats rested between forays to catch their breakfasts. The time is about 6:30 a.m.

I wish I had centered this one better. It looks like a stealth bomber here, and notice its shadow (reflection?) on the plastic.

While Jeanne and I couldn't see what they were catching, it was obvious that they were very successful. I hope you enjoyed seeing them. -djf

2 comments:

Dianne5 December 2024 at 18:47
Gosh, your December 5th began so beautifully! Your resident swallows seem to have adapted wonderfully to the renovations on the Palms, but in one picture it looks like one got snagged and is hanging upside-down! I like to think they are catching the bad bugs - like the barn swallows on the farm used to do.

Thanks for sharing these delightful birdy moments!
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Anonymous8 December 2024 at 07:20
These are wonderful pictures. They are just magnificent birds in a small package. I loved seeing their beauty among the construction. There is beauty everywhere if we look for it. McKenzie
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My deer blind, a place outside of time and space.

This is a picture of my deer hunting blind. I built in in 1975 and used it until about 2010. I'm publishing this picture and text on November 15 of 2022, the opening day of Michigan's rifle deer hunting season, to remember all the years I spent sitting there and occasionally harvesting a deer. I think that the meat I provided for my family was only a small portion of the benefit I received from hunting in this manner. Of greater value to me was the time I spent alone, watching the forest and its many components interact. I had time to unwind from the stresses of my work, to appreciate our world, and even sometimes to pray. That blind was a refuge to me. It was cozy, and comfortable and I spent much more time filming the activities of not only deer, but bears, racoons, turkeys, squirrels, hawks, and once, even a snowy owl, than I did harvesting deer. May I suggest to all of you that you try to find some time and a place, where you can be alone, and where you can ponder and appreciate your life and your place in the world. It does a body good. -djf