Swallows and streamers
Scientists have placed Swallows into wind tunnels and studied the aerodynamics of their flight. Their long tail streamers appear to help their manoeuvrability, which aids capture of fast and irregularly-moving insect prey.
This one must be having to adjust while one of its streamers re-grows:
It doesn’t look too hungry, though.
More Swallows
Swallows Watching birds is a constant joy. For me, taking their photographs enhances the pleasure at the time. And editing the… read more
Swallow shuteye When the sun shines in Orkney, it's best to make good use of it. This Swallow agreed. read more
Sharp Swallow I'm having fun in the sun practising my bird in flight photography. Perhaps the most difficult bird to photograph is… read more
2021 highlights of a wilder Orkney life I had a wonderful time on Westray in Orkney in 2021. The Puffins returned to breed and provided constant entertainment… read more
Feather bed The encyclopaedia says there are four seasons in temperate latitudes. Billy Connolly, however, said, "There are two seasons in Scotland; June… read more
Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins – how do you tell them apart? They're small, fast and easily confused. How do you tell Swifts, Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martins apart? Firstly, Swallows,… read more
Two thirsty Swallows make it Summer in Spring It's clearly thirsty work flying from Africa to the UK. I pop into the Devon Wildlife Trust Reserve at Bovey… read more
Late Swallows walking the high barbed wire A few months ago we had a trip to Dartmoor and saw Barn Swallows enjoying some of their first weeks… read more
The first walk, Britain’s rarest bumblebee and a fattie cuttie Arriving back on Westray means I want to experience it all at once. I want every sensation. I want to… read more