If one swallow doesn’t make a summer, then I think I can safely say summer arrived today (even though it may be short lived).

With the sun shining I headed over to Sheepcote Valley this afternoon. As always I have my eyes open for kestrels (I saw one, way up high), but it was the swooping swallows that caught my eye. This season’s broods have now fledged and the adults were in frenzy of insect catching to feed countless hungry mouths. The fledglings were in smalls groups, perching on low bushes along the side of Brighton race track. There were sheep grazing in the valley, but they were happy to ignore me as I settled down for a long afternoon of swallow-watching.

I’m still working through the shots I took, but here are a few that I’ve processed quickly and am blogging now as otherwise I may never catch up!

fledgling swallows
Four fledgling swallows waiting patiently to be fed.
Adult swallow feeding fledgling
Adult swallow feeding fledgling
adult swallow feeding fledgling
Adult delivering an insect meal
Adult swallow feeding fledgling
Adult swallow feeding fledgling
Fledgling swallow
Fledgling swallow

Camera note: all photos taken with the Canon 1DX Mark II and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. The last one shows how a happy fledgling looks like 😀

    1. They are very cute to watch!

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