Coming in to land

Spent intermittent time morning and afternoon photographing the amazing swallows and martins who have been congregating in the back field. All day they have been swooping in and around the back garden, over the field and coming to roost back on the wires of the telegraph pole. It seems the newly fledged sit and wait to get fed and then occasionally launch themselves off to practice their aerobatic skills at great speed.

It was a very spectacular sight and this shot doesn't do justice to the amount of birds actually present on the rest of the wire while this wee one practised landing and taking off. They are the most frustrating creatures to capture on film due to their speed and dexterity, which I cannot match (and believe me, I've tried - any tips gratefully received). So, it was a toss up between this and a shot of the kids birling around on the swing when they got home from school - that had a delightful charm, but was easier to catch, so the birds won as they took more blood , sweat and cursing!

The swallow of summer, the barbed harpoon,
She flings from the furnace, a rainbow of purples,
Dips her glow in the pond and is perfect.

Ted Hughes - an extract from 'Work and Play'