Barn swallow: bird of the week

μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεῖ (One swallow does not a summer make)

Aristotle

Absolutely the commonest of swallows, and totally unmistakable with its red face and dark breast band, is the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). It didn’t fly even when my skiff passed close enough for me to get this photo. I’ve seen these birds often enough, flying or nesting, but this is probably the best photo I have. Mangalajodi lived up to its reputation among Indian bird photographers. In the temperate zone they are migratory (hence Aristotle’s remark), but they are found year round in many parts of India.

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There aren’t many places on WordPress where bird watchers can share posts. If you post any photos of birds this week (starting today and up to next Monday), it would be great if you could leave a link in the comments, or a pingback, for others to follow. There is no compulsion to post a recent photo, but it would help others to know when and where you saw the bird. You might consider using the tag “Bird of the Week” in case people search for old posts using it.

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