I was attacked by a Tree Swallow today!

[Z28Taxman]

I was at my brother's house today to hang out and take pics of birds, hoping for some babies. He wasn't there so I just walked around taking pics until he got there.

There was a pair of bluebirds building a nest in one nestbox, snapped a few pics and moved on.

Down at the bottom of the hill, in the field, was another nestbox. I could see momma Tree swallow sitting there with her head poking out keeping the babies safe and warm. Got a few pics of that, she didn't mind and when I moved on she flew off for some more food for them.

That's when the fun started. At the other end of the field was another nestbox. I didn't see any birds around so I continued walking when out of the blue I had to duck quickly as another tree swallow was about 6 inches from my face in a full power dive! :eek: He or she went then to the box so I knew what that was all about. (I was 50 feet from the box at this point). So I decided I'd walk way around the box to get back to the house. Well that wasn't good enough for this tough guy/momma Swallow. After 2 more attacks I decided that the next one will be photographed! So risking life and limb I stood there (30 feet from the box) and waited. I didn't have to wait long as I could see it circling overhead so I started with the pics. The last 2 are blurry because of the lens I was using, it won't focus on anything closer than 15 feet away at full zoom and 5 feet without zoom. Those suckers are fast too. :D

After the last pic it wizzed by my left ear so close I could hear the Whoosh and feel the breeze!

Anyway, here's the pics! Get away from my house! (http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2125736140)

[Mummieeva]

LOL your a brave one dear. I bet mom keeps a eye out for you now..lol.

Steph

[zlatushka]

LOL

Hey, since you have photographic evidence, maybe you should sue your brother like that Home Depot lady ;)

I don't think I would have stayed and tried to take pictures, but I applaud your photojournalistic style. Loved the pics, and the story. Just don't let Ditto see them and get any ideas :p


rachel

[Z28Taxman]

LOL

Hey, since you have photographic evidence, maybe you should sue your brother like that Home Depot lady ;)

I don't think I would have stayed and tried to take pictures, but I applaud your photojournalistic style. Loved the pics, and the story. Just don't let Ditto see them and get any ideas :p


rachel


Ditto already flies right at my face. :D That sucker scared me the first time because I wasn't expecting it.

My brother and I went back later and she left us alone. He always walks up to the box so they trust him. I did get some pics of baby swallows in another nextbox on top of the hill though.

The bluebirds haven't nested yet (still building) so no pics of their babies.

[bellarains]

LOL Dave,

Those are awesome. It amazes me how something so little will actually attack something so much bigger than they are to protect their young. I like to think I would protect my son with my life, but if something say 1000 times bigger than me were the opponent????? Brave creatures they are.

[linda040899]

Dave,
Great series of photos! That swallow really meant business!!!

Birds have unbelievable parental instincts when it comes to their babies and will go after anything that even remotely seems to pose a threat. While I have a heathly respect for Georgia's beak, I also hesitate to go out into my backyard when my pair of resident Mockingbirds have young in one of my back trees! When the Mockers are raising their young, my backyard is devoid of all life forms.......

[Z28Taxman]

LOL Dave,

Those are awesome. It amazes me how something so little will actually attack something so much bigger than they are to protect their young. I like to think I would protect my son with my life, but if something say 1000 times bigger than me were the opponent????? Brave creatures they are.


I was more worried about her beating up my $1300 camera than my head. :D

I'm waiting on the bluebirds now. I wanna see those babies!

[shylevon]

Wonderful story. I am always amazed at the bravery of animals that are protecting their young. Bears and lions sure, but a 50 gram birdie chasing off a grown man, that is very galant indeed.

[Z28Taxman]

Dave,
Great series of photos! That swallow really meant business!!!

Birds have unbelievable parental instincts when it comes to their babies and will go after anything that even remotely seems to pose a threat. While I have a heathly respect for Georgia's beak, I also hesitate to go out into my backyard when my pair of resident Mockingbirds have young in one of my back trees! When the Mockers are raising their young, my backyard is devoid of all life forms.......

He's got a pair of mockers around there too but we haven't found their nest yet.

I'm just glad the Red Tailed hawks don't nest there (just hunt). I'd probably die of a heart attack if one of those came at me like that. :eek:

[TGerard]

Some professional wildlife photographers keep a safe distance from their subject by using high-powered telescopic lenses. Some seek protective cover in a camouflaged hideout. While others seek safety behind the hardened steel bars of a shark cage. Not our man in the field, Dave! He laughs at the face of danger and faces it head on. He sees his subject more as quarry and persues them with steadfast determination. When confronted with the possibility of personal injury from a wild animal, Dave just says, "Bring it!".

All kidding aside, Dave, those are a great sequence of pics. The captioning made the story complete. Good job! :)

[Z28Taxman]

Some professional wildlife photographers keep a safe distance from their subject by using high-powered telescopic lenses. Some seek protective cover in a camouflaged hideout. While others seek safety behind the hardened steel bars of a shark cage. Not our man in the field, Dave! He laughs at the face of danger and faces it head on. He sees his subject more as quarry and persues them with steadfast determination. When confronted with the possibility of personal injury from a wild animal, Dave just says, "Bring it!".

All kidding aside, Dave, those are a great sequence of pics. The captioning made the story complete. Good job! :)

Well I was using a 70-300mm zoom, but it wasn't enough. I felt like Marlin Perkin's assistant. You know, the guy he sent out to hang with the lions while he hid in a tree on Wild Kingdom. :D

[Janie]

Dave, I love the TRES and wish we had them in Georgia. They are notorious for dive bombing humans (and anything else messin' with their nest boxes!). Bluebirds are far more tolerant and rarely make contact but TRES will. A friend of mine in Michigan does host both Bluebirds and TRES and she told me that the kid who mowed her yard threatened to QUIT because "those" birds were after him! :D She does monitor their nest but she always wears a BIG hat and she has had them swoop her so close that she felt it on her head. :)

Love your photos!

[Z28Taxman]

Dave, I love the TRES and wish we had them in Georgia. They are notorious for dive bombing humans (and anything else messin' with their nest boxes!). Bluebirds are far more tolerant and rarely make contact but TRES will. A friend of mine in Michigan does host both Bluebirds and TRES and she told me that the kid who mowed her yard threatened to QUIT because "those" birds were after him! :D She does monitor their nest but she always wears a BIG hat and she has had them swoop her so close that she felt it on her head. :)

Love your photos!

Funny thing is, they don't care when my brother goes down there. He will actually open the box to see the babies. Last year he lifted mom up to count them. :eek: In fact we walked down there about 2 hours later (he was with me) and they didn't do a thing.

I guess it's just like with lovies. I can do anything I want in Ditto's cage. But let anyone else put their hand in there.......

His bluebirds should be nesting soon. There was a pair building a nest in one of the boxes and he's got a few more to put up. There will be pics. :cool:

[mjm8321]

I felt like Marlin Perkin's assistant. You know, the guy he sent out to hang with the lions while he hid in a tree on Wild Kingdom.

OMG! LMAO I remember that poor guy, was it George? Or something like that. He's the one that got wrestled out of a canoe by an anaconda while Marlin sat on the bank telling us how dangerous it was. :D :D

I've never been attacked by tree or barn swallows, but I did have several close calls with an Osprey when I was a teenager. They had nested near the road I had to take daily and would swoop down and try to get me. Ospreys are slightly larger than tree swallows and have some serious "toenails" LOL. Somewhere, I have a series of pictures something like Dave's, except that last one was nothing except the flash of the camera reflected in the pterodactyl's eye! YIKES!
Thanks for the pics and the laughs Dave!

[Z28Taxman]

OMG! LMAO I remember that poor guy, was it George? Or something like that. He's the one that got wrestled out of a canoe by an anaconda while Marlin sat on the bank telling us how dangerous it was. :D :D

I've never been attacked by tree or barn swallows, but I did have several close calls with an Osprey when I was a teenager. They had nested near the road I had to take daily and would swoop down and try to get me. Ospreys are slightly larger than tree swallows and have some serious "toenails" LOL. Somewhere, I have a series of pictures something like Dave's, except that last one was nothing except the flash of the camera reflected in the pterodactyl's eye! YIKES!
Thanks for the pics and the laughs Dave!

When I was a kid there was a Great Horned Owl that used to hunt around the house. He'd be sitting in a tree next to the lane and would chase off anything that wasn't edible. He would swoop after cars too. One night he almost knocked me off my motorscycle. :eek:

[TGerard]

OMG! LMAO I remember that poor guy, was it George? Or something like that.

After asking Jeeves, I found his name: Jim Fowler. Poor, poor Jim was Marlin Perkins' hapless assistant who did all the dirty work.:( Good thing for him the show was sponsored by a life insurance company!:D

[p3rr4n]

Great Pictures Dave,

Thank you for sharing :)

Thats gonna make a great story to tell people for years to come :D