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I saw the Barn Swallow below under a walkway at the refuge. It did not seem to mind my presence. This type of bird gets along very well with people and has become established in our lore, culture, and even religion.
I went to a part of the walkway right above it, and it was still okay with that, even looking up calmly.
It also sang and kept singing during the whole time I was there.
Barn Swallows are very social birds that live together in large roosts, some containing as many as millions of birds. There were not that many at the refuge, but I saw several of them just twenty feet away from the one above. One bird was building its nest with mud. The others were typical onlookers, just like us humans observing our neighbors fix their houses.
Julie@frogpondfarm said:
Love the splashes of colour … wonderful images. Such sweet little birds
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neihtn2012 said:
Thanks Julie!
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DG MARYOGA said:
Indeeed,they are gregarious birds,there were not annoyed at all by your presence,they even sang for you.How handsomely one of them turned its head and looked up at you!
I love the fact that they build their nests on human-made structures,people have the chance to observe them and take beautiful photos like yours,Hien.
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neihtn2012 said:
Thank you Doda! This was a day of good photo opportunities. I saw the Ospreys and their chicks, and on the way out of the refuge, these Barn Swallows.
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Amy said:
Enjoy your bird captures! The clarity is remarkable.
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neihtn2012 said:
Thank you Amy!
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Emma Cownie said:
Its always fascinating to see these birds at rest – they have such long wings too.
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neihtn2012 said:
Their long wings almost caused their downfall in the 19th century when the millinery trade used their feathers on women’s hats!
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Emma Cownie said:
Oh no. I am so glad that birds on hats have gone out of fashion.
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Sue Slaght said:
I have seen large gatherings of them but didn’t realize they were so accepting of humans being close by. Gorgeous captures.
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neihtn2012 said:
Thanks Sue! Some are saying that these swallows like to use human built structures, like bridges and barns, to build their nests. So they have become accustomed and friendly to humans.
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Sue Slaght said:
Oh that would make sense! We see a lot of them under bridges here.
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quietsolopursuits said:
Great images of one of my favorite species of birds! I see that you caught one in a happy mood, but they do appear to be generally cheery birds.
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neihtn2012 said:
Thanks Jerry! They are indeed cheery, and I like them for not being shy and reclusive.
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Eliza Waters said:
I love barn swallows with that flashing blue and orange. The curious onlookers may be juveniles from the first brood – they can have up to two a season and will reuse the same nest. I’ve seen a decline of all swallows and swifts in the nearly 3 decades since I’ve lived here. We used to see dozens in the sky and roosting on telephone lines, but now only a handful. So sad!
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neihtn2012 said:
Thanks for commenting Eliza! I wonder why their numbers decline. Still they are classified as Low Concern.
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Eliza Waters said:
It may be that our once open pastureland is returning to forest as dairy farms in this area cease to practice farming. So less swallows and sparrows and more forest dwellers like warblers and thrushes. Change is constant!
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GP Cox said:
I suppose I never saw one upclose. I never realized they were so pretty.
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neihtn2012 said:
Thanks for commenting GP. I never saw one up close either, until recently. 🙂
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T Ibara Photo said:
Absolutely gorgeous! Barn swallows are beloved here too, it is said that it’s a sign of good luck if a barn swallow couple makes their nest in/near your home. The past few weeks have been full of barn swallow mamas and papas raising their young — it’s music to my ears 🙂
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neihtn2012 said:
Thanks for sharing that insight about Barn Swallows in Japan! Maybe these birds are another of man’s best friends. 🙂
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T Ibara Photo said:
Swallows are very tolerant of people here, and most folks treat the swallows very nicely 🙂 My town (Tsukuba) is “prime real estate” for swallows because of wide, wild fields (plenty of food for the young ones) and many large homes provide a shade/safe corner for them to build their nests.
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neihtn2012 said:
Tsukuba is a great town. I looked on the map and there are a lot of green colors on it. No wonder the swallows like your town!
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T Ibara Photo said:
I’m so happy you had a chance to research Tsukuba! It’s a unique town, as it’s designated by the government as a “science and research” town. Our national space program (JAXA) is here, along with research/medical companies and a top national university. There are many lovely parks here too, which means lots of wild birds! I do hope you’ll have a chance to visit here 🙂
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forthemo said:
(EN) Perfect description in words and images.Love it.
(IT) Descrizione perfetta in parole ed immagini.Mi piace molto.
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neihtn2012 said:
Thank you so much!
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