Barn Swallow

A few fact this fast moving little bird: (wikipeda & RSPB)
In the Anglicized parts of Europe this little bird is simply known as the Swallow. However, to give it’s proper name in full it is a Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) and is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. Swallows are small birds with dark, glossy-blue backs, red throats, pale underparts and long tail streamers. They are widespread breeding birds in the Northern Hemisphere. Altogether there are six different species of this bird, four migrate for the winter going to Southern Hemisphere, with some going as far as South Africa, or even Argentina.

The Barn Swallow like the open country and is well known in favouring man-made structure in which to breed and therefore there has always been a close association between man the the bird, hence why it is so widespread throughout the world. The birds feed on insect that are caught in flight and they build a cup shaped nest, much like House Martins.

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This evening was one of those evening for not doing very much other than taking a little stroll down to St Cuthbert’s Isle and sitting enjoying the evening sunshine, while watching the wildlife going about the usual evening search for food along the water’s edge. Before I got to sit down that was to my surprise this Barn Swallow simple resting and making no attempt to flow off as I approached and then taking my camera from my bag, there it remained. So often when removing a camera from the bag and putting it up to your eye, most birds have long gone, but still it remained.

It has long been understood in my family and by some friends that photography for me falls into this little saying, “If it move photograph it, if it doesn’t move, photograph it anyway!” This Barn Swallow was an ideal candidate for a portraiture, sitting there in the evening sunshine, ideally lit and posed reasonable still just asking for it’s passport photograph to be taken. Normally, these little birds are extremely agile in flight and spend most of their time on the wing. To see one still for me at any rate was a rare event in itself. Maybe, because of the age old relationship with human beings and the structure we build, especially on our farms, that this bird felt there was no need to take flight.

After the Barn Swallow had left, I went and sat for the evening listening once more to the ever, almost, moanful calling of the grey seals out on the sandbanks that become visible when the tidal waters recede between Holy Island and the mainland. Over the last twelve days the seal singing has been getting steadily louder and louder. Whether this is due to the wind direction or not, I’m not sure, but there were many people out this evening all remarking on the sound and trying to spot the two or three group of seals that seem to be trying to out do each the other in sounding the loudest.

As normal all the usual suspects came out to feed and see what could be caught on the receding tide. The Grey Heron put in an appearance, Oyster Catcher practiced there flying information, but they still haven’t nailed that one yet. A small group of Curlews flow past making their way to the richer picking of the sandbanks up on the Pilgrim’s Crossing. The tide while receding did not have to rush as the sunset this evening had too much cloud cover, thus almost hiding it into obscurity for today. There would be phenix rising from the cloud in spectacular fashion unlike the other evening.

When I next looked around most of the spectators who had joined me to the seal concert had left. The breeze was picking up and it was time to go back to the Bothy at the St Cuthbert’s Centre. Each of the characters in this evening wildlife play have played their part, if the food that rely on were not there, then we would not have the pleasure in seeing them, photographing them, and most of all hearing them call out to each other, or sounding alarms when danger is present.

This for me has been one of the wonderful highlights of this sabbatical of being able to sit and marvel at all of this abundant life that we sometimes take for granted, because we always think it will be there, but Lindisfarne is also a Nature Reserve and one worth supporting like the Royal Society for the Prevention of Birds. In the first book of the Bible the story tells us that from the very moment human-being came into being God put Adam into the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Well in this neck of the woods there are people taking care of this little bit of the Garden of Eden. No matter what part of the Garden we are in, to be able to sit and drink in the sounds, the smell, and the open vista of what surrounds is very much part of all of us, if we are willing to share our selves with nature in return.