Trinity Creek runs near our
house, but only when there is sufficient rainfall to keep it flowing. The pond that supplies the creek is low
due to lack of rain. The lack of
rain accounts for the lack of mosquitoes, which is good for us, but not so good
for birds that rely on insects for food.
These four baby Tree
Swallows, born somewhere nearby, have fledged, but are not yet self-sufficient. They still rely on their parents to
supply insects, as they seem endlessly hungry. Mom and
Dad travel from pond to perch continuously, but not fast enough for the four
hungry mouths.
Still not capable of catching
their own food and only strong enough for short flights, they mostly watch and
wait. When scared off their perch
by a dog walker, they quickly returned because they’ve learned this is where
the food arrives.
While waiting, the four fledglings practiced their balancing
skills with mixed results.
Whenever a parent flew by,
even without an insect, the babies’ bright yellow-orange beaks would open in
unison in hopes of a meal.
If the
parent didn’t stop with food, the disappointment was noticeable. The begging faded softly and their beaks
closed slowly as the parent flew away.
Then it was back to waiting and watching again. Thankfully, with two insect-hunting
parents working continuously, the next meal was not far away.
By what appears to be random
selection, one wide-open beak gets the bug,
while the others lose out.
This
was a non-stop, air-refueling operation where the food was transferred in a
split second on the fly to one gaping throat at a time. It was an air show
worth admission, if it weren’t already free.
The Trinity Creek Wetlands
Habitat supplies Trinity Creek, a tributary of the Milwaukee River. Reclaimed from
drained cornfields years ago, it now holds rainwater for slow release. That process recharges ground water supplies
and provides habitat for fish and birds. Migratory waterfowl and songbirds pass
through twice yearly. This Tree
Swallow family is a current beneficiary.
Allan
June 28,2012
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