Emma D's diary

By EmmaDrabble

At home: tag team dive bombing swallows x

Step out side, and its a tag team attack from the swallows. In protecting their nest in the hay loft, they take on man and beast, I say this since I helped a crash landed fledgling last year and had to wear a hat to stop my hair being plucked out by its parents!

The swallow is a member of a species of songbirds in the family and has its own legends and tales unique to it. One Indian legend tells how the swallow stole fire from the sun and brought it to the earth, carrying it on its tail feathers. It is because of this action that its tail feathers are now forked and spine like. Because of this and because the swallow comes with warm weather, it is associated with the sun and fire.

Some cultures believe should a swallow's nest be disturbed, the crops will go bad. In Britain, it is believed that should one kill a swallow, rain will commence and last for four weeks. Some say destroying a swallow's nest will cause you to fall from a tree.

In Native American lore, the swallow is consdiered closely related to the magical Thunderbird, because it will fly before a thunderstorm arrives. Both Greeks and Romans often forecast weather by the swallow's flight, and generally held in Europe is the belief that swallows flying low mean bad weather will soon appear. The Chinese believed that one could induce rain by throwing swallows into water.
(Source: spiritlodge.yuku.com)

Our swallows don't stop for thunderstorms, in fact because they have to fly so low, they are more aggressive. Don't worry, Tiger is never a threat to them, in fact he spends more time indoor than ever. Having your fur plucked out, is no fun at all!

Comments
Sign in or get an account to comment.