[wisb] Last Barn Swallow Nestling Fledges
- From: Swanson <elaineseverin@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: wisbirdnet <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:32:00 -0700 (PDT)
For the past week, I've been taking more time to watch our last nest of Barn
Swallows. With camera I captured their deepening colors - and facial
expressions which showed a growing interest beyond food. This morning I
arrived to see that only one remained. No forked tail yet, but wings that had
taken him from the nest to a nearby beam. All 3 nestlings had been in and out
of that nest finding other perches the past 48 hours - but always fluttered
back to bed by sundown. This was the morning for departure I was
regretting. Several adults flew into the barn and circled around chirping.
Just one landed next to the youngster. She offered no food. Instead, she sat
beside him for a short pause - then showed the way through the open doors. I
had just 15 seconds to say goodbye before he followed. All day I've been
imagining his impressions - how wondrous the sky, how expansive the vast
landscape, how bright and warm the sun
seen and felt for the first time! Does he know about the journey ahead?
Thousands of miles without compass or mapquest. In the morning, I will look up
at the nest, listen for chirping - and know that another winter must pass
before I welcome the suntanned swallows from South America.
Elaine Swanson
FDL County
Pickett
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- » [wisb] Last Barn Swallow Nestling Fledges - Swanson
