CLOSED: Wetlands Bird

I just visited our local wetlands park for the first time in over a year. Light Rail will be rumbling through the edge of the creek, and the construction has caused much disruption with the birdies. The first thing I saw was these swift birds swooping down to the water, skimming the surface and taking off again. So fast, I was unable to get a shot that was even reasonably in focus, but he colors certainly came through. I'm hoping that somebody familiar with this bird will recognize it, despite the blur.

Cliff Swallow

Look for the white "headlight" on the forehead and the orange rump.

Thank you so much. What a great looking bird. They've got to perch somewhere between swoops, so I'll find a shady spot to watch them next time I visit.

It is not often they'll perch, especially when a photographer is near by. :) Or so it seems. They build nests under bridges, so look there and nearby power lines. Not a pretty spot, but it's where you should find them.

Cliff Swallow feet aren't really meant for perching and they catch all their food "on the wing". They're communal birds often found near water (lots of flying insects). They build mud nests and attach them to things like buildings and bridges that may be near or even over streams and creeks.

Many years ago I raised two very young baby Cliff Swallows (two different years in a row) that had fallen from nests and were brought to me in extremely weakened states (I had a terrible feeling some kids might have knocked down the nest!). They are fascinating, beautiful little birds and I had to learn on-the-fly because none of the rehabbers I spoke with had ever raised a baby Swallow. And, yes, I successfully released both of them...though you never really know how they fare after their release. The idea is to try to give them a fighting chance and by releasing them into large flocks of their own kind they can also learn from the other birds.

I had special permission from the California Dept. of Fish & Game to care for wild birds at a time when there weren't many people doing rehabbing in my area.

Photographing them is really a challenge. I hope you can get some good pics!


This message was edited Jun 9, 2015 5:02 PM