House Martin
If you are a member of Shadow Hunters Community you already know that this week there is extra contest, run by 
If you haven't yet posted in this community, come and join the fun. Click the link above and give it a go.
Here is the link to the contest - Shadows and reflections: A contest announcement and I strongly suggest to read the rules.
And now - my entry to the contest.
What bird did cast this shadow? Easy to answer, it is in the title - the house martin.The house martins arrived in flocks in spring and their squeaky calls can be heard all the time. They are like those chatty neighbours poking the heads out of the nest and gossiping or flying around like loonies.
One morning while passing by the office building in the factory I stopped for a while to look at the house martins. Each year they rebuild their nests or build new ones on the corners of the facade. You have no idea how many times they fly to and fro with mud in their tiny beaks in order to construct their homes.
But today I am not going to show you their nests, but their shadows.
The shots here are all cropped, to give you some idea of how these tiny birds look like and what shadows they cast on the wall. House martins are very fast and it was almost impossible for me to have a picture in flight. So, when I see them resting, this is my chance.
Did I say resting? Perhaps not quite the right word, as they do not rest much but keep on flying. Some landing for awile, then gone. Like a busy street in town or runway at the airport.
If you imagine for a moment that this is an airport, where the control tower might be? Birds don't need it. Regardless how fast they are, they will never collide. Look at these two below, they land in sync. Almost.
And this one is hovering above the other.
I don't know what exactly these exercise is for. Coming and going, standing for a little awile... could be the youngsters, who has become more confident in flying. Another month or so and they will be gone. House martins are migratory birds and they will spend the winter in Africa. Long way to go.
This is the cutiest butt and wings like blades of choper. But what an impressive shadow!
At last, someone taking off and I got it in front! Sheer luck.
And lastly a bird with small shadow in shape of X. No problem to stand on a vertical wall. These birds have very short legs, but well adapted to stand on wall as well as to perch on wires.
Believe me or not, it took less than five minutes to make all the shots and to bugger off to my office. No more time to waste, got to go to do my job and leave the birds alone.
Till next time, there are other species around the office in the factory yard, waiting to be discovered.
Thank you for viewing.
