Tree Swallow

Here's a Tree Swallow poking his head out of a birdhouse. A picture like this isn't as hard to get as you might think. Tree Swallows readily use these birdhouses, there are quite a few Tree Swallows out there, and they are feisty birds that will attempt to chase away animals it thinks could threaten their nest. In fact they may the the common birds most likely to dive bomb humans to try and drive us away (though Red-winged Blackbirds are another strong candidate for this designation). Many times I'll be on a trail and have these guys diving at my head.

Though they are fast and very maneuverable fliers, they have at least grazed my hats in their efforts to drive me away. I'm not sure if that was intentional, or if their zeal to scare me caused a small miscalculation during their attack.

FWIW, I will usually try to vacate the area quicker than I normally would, though I'm a little old to actually run from them. Sometimes though they seem to follow me a surprisingly long distance from their nest; when that happens I try to ignore them. (It's hard to believe they could do any real damage.)
May 9, 2021 at Duke Farms
Photo 128958775, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)


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