Flight of the Sand Martin
A tale from the riverbank…
I love to watch swallows and martins, they are the busiest of birds and I watch in wonder as they feed on insects in mid-flight, swooping over and across a river snapping up flies with such incredible accuracy.
As I walked along a river bank close to where I live I was entertained by a couple of sand martin’s who insisted on dive bombing me as if I was some kind of threat to their dinner. Like swallows and other martin’s they feed low over the water with twisting flight patterns and these two dived straight into a hole they had carved out on the face of the river bank.
There are swallows around here but it’s nice to see the sand martin for a change. I have nesting house martin’s at home which return year on year and ruin my window sills. But that’s another story!
Anyway here’s a picture of one I managed to capture belting down the river, I like it because it seems a typically English scene for some reason. It reminds me of my childhood and being sat by the water waiting for that elusive monster carp to take my bait. Invaribly they never did….
Sand Martin in Lincolnshire
Great picture - very evocotive.
There’s something about water that lures us all, I think it goes back to caveman days, a natural instict to seek water and shelter
Cheers
Rod
July 24, 2010 @ 7:28 pm
Miles,
I like the light in this picture. A lot like your previous one of the lake. It is very atmospheric - a summer’s day drawing to a close and all is at peace ~~~
Anne
July 24, 2010 @ 8:25 pm
Rod and Anne,
Glad you like it and understood what I was trying to portray, great comments thank you.
Miles
July 24, 2010 @ 10:54 pm