Friday, November 21, 2014

Why so grumpy Mrs S!


Everything was fine until the crowd gathered! Does that ever happen to you when you're taking photos, people stop to see what's caught your attention? I took these shots yesterday at my local shopping centre where each year at this time, peak breeding time, a family of Welcome swallows appear and get busy patching up this spring 'property' with new feathers etc. I sometimes wonder if they are the same pair each year. Most people walk by not looking up and don't even know they're there and that's the way they like it.. Mr S was quite agitated by all the attention...


... eventually joining his mate and taking on a protective role at the side of the nest. I've noticed over the last few weeks that there is a lot of nesting activity going on in the trees in and around my garden, with some birds getting quite fierce if they think you're getting too close, particularly the magpies.. Well I don't know how you feel but TGIF! Have a good one, take care and stay safe..


39 comments:

  1. I don't blame them for getting a little testy! Nice shots Grace.

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  2. Nice pictures and story of your friends


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>

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  3. Yep, unlike many of us, the birds don't enjoy being in the spotlight!! Great shots, Grace! Hope you're ready for a wonderful weekend! Enjoy!

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  4. They probably did not find the lipstick! Must be a nice view from the top. Happy weekend. Still Thursday here:)

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  5. With nearly nine feet of snow falling in Buffalo and unusually low temps here for November, it's just amazing to see these birds nesting. :-)

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  6. Oh I always enjoy a good barn sparrow story! They love to be annyoed I believe, even when I'm not going around to bother them, they love to chase me while I mow, squawking and carrying on like I would stop just because they want me too! Great captures of them.

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  7. There are so much treasures to find when one's walking nose up! Great find, I'm glad that you pictured those sweet birds!

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  8. What a wonderful name - actually I wonder why there is no such a bird name over here, it´s just logical to give a "spring-bringer" just this, a welcome!
    Yes, Grace, I feel kinda dumb when people go look what I take a pic of...

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  9. Loooooooooove Grace! I'll trade them for my pigeons despite the mess!

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  10. That's a nice little family you ran into. I can imagine how they must feel threatened by the close presence of human. Lovely birds!

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  11. Everyone wants a bit of privacy! ;-))

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  12. You got some great photos of this pair. You made me think about all the times I've been photographing either a bird or a lizard or maybe a ground squirrel at the Desert Botanical Garden and people with walk up talking loudly talking to each other about what I have in my sights. And, of course my subject hears them and runs and one of them will say "oh there he goes". And I think to myself of course he went, you can't come charging up and making a lot of noise and expect them to stay. It's just common sense, as my dad would say.

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  13. It would probably be the same pair. Terrific captures. Up here it's redwing blackbirds that tend to be very territorial during nesting season.

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  14. Some bird nests are quite attractive, but it doesn't seem swallow nests are among them.

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  15. I love them! We have doves who do the same thing here.

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  16. Thanks for the nice close ups of those lovely birds :)
    I could never get close enough to get a good picture.

    ツ Knipsa

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  17. Oh my God! Look at these cuties! I have a nest on my backyard window and i keep it safe for the next spring. Birds always return to their corners..Recently i've noticed that more and more people take pictures in the streets so it has become something like a public hobby and i like it!! I didn't go to the Roots cafe yet. My program is too busy those days... Have a nice weekend Grace! take care and more photos!

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  18. If they had just asked, I could have told them that they have no reason to worry about you. You're a bird lover who wouldn't hurt a (ahem) feather..

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  19. Wonderful shots. That is one messy nest.

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  20. What a wonderful series of photos, Grace! I am not sure about this species but we have several types of birds who return each year to have a nest in the same spot. I have always felt that if a nest is in the exact location that they surely are the same pair of birds.

    Bises,
    Genie

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  21. Very nice Grace! Have you ever heard the old song, "When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano" by The Ink Spots? I live just a couple of minutes from "Capistrano," which is actually the San Juan Capistrano Mission."

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  22. Ah! that's so cute Grace ... they've made the perfect spot for their nest which only needs minor renovations and Voila! it's ready for the next batch.

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  23. Love to see birds nesting, good on you for looking up and seeing such wonderful things Grace!

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  24. Lovely photos!
    On the question of weather it's the same pair each year I heard a very interesting radio programme last week about faithfulness in bird "marriages". While it's true that couples normally breed and bring up their young with the same partner every year, there are cases where a female decides to choose another male, or sometimes even lays several eggs from different "fathers".

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  25. We photographers notice everything so I guess the others have to look and see what it is we are shooting.

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  26. Oh, very nice, you cought them, such lovely pictures!

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  27. Lovely to see them. Mr S is very readable and not very happy with you.

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  28. They can get pretty feisty with all their dive-bombing during nesting. Pretty messy too.

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  29. Sweet birds, our nests are empty now...

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  30. Looks like these birds are settling down for the weekend Grace. Hope yours is a good one too.

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  31. I love how they've fixed up the place...great photos of the winged pair Grace...thanks for sharing!

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  32. Good vision, noticing what others don't. But do these apartments get health department inspections?

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  33. Como siempre, estupendas tus fotos.

    Saludos.

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  34. Oh, aren't they exquisite? Well spotted.

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  35. When we see vehicles stopped in the mountains..we always stop. There is usually a bear or a moose.
    I can see how this little family could be missed. Nice find!

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  36. Life goes on all over the globe!

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