Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) have moved into at least some of the nesting boxes at Huntley Meadows Park as they get ready for babies. The accommodations are spacious and comfortable, but the views are undoubtedly much better from high atop the trees.
Strange as it sounds, it is unusual for me to get shots of Tree Swallows in a tree. Normally they are zooming about in the air when I see them and it seems rare for them to stop for a rest. They seem to weigh almost nothing, so they can perch on the flimsiest of branches at the very top of trees. As I learned earlier this week when observing them, however, those perches can become pretty precarious when the wind starts to blow, but that’s a story for another posting.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
They have such a sheen in their plumage! Beautiful Mike.
Thanks, Chris. I was happy that I managed to capture that aspect of their beauty. The light was a bit harsh and not coming from the right direction, so the images are not quite as soft and beautiful as I like.
Great pictures – you really captured the iridescence of the feathers.
Thanks. When the sun is shining, those feathers sure reflect a lot of light. I was most happy to catch the swallows at rest–they are so hyperactive most of the time.
I used to love watching swallows when I was a boy. It’s nice to see them sitting still for a change!
Such handsome little birds!
I love the two tone plumage, with the iridescent color that looks really green or really blue depending on the light.