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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Extended Free Study 2021-06 (Extended Editing)
Collection: 2021
Camera: Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra
Date: Jun 29, 2021
Date Uploaded: Jul 3, 2021

 Gah! Forgot to put the "story" in here. Meant to. Honest. :-)

Our family had been watching this family of barn swallows for a while. They built a nest in one of the barn stalls.

The day I grabbed this photo I was out feeding the horses. I'd already fed one and was walking back to the grain room after feeding the second and I noticed this tiny little bird on the ground, right under the horse! One wrong step and it wouldn't be pretty. I went in and moved the bird into a corner and figured its' parents could sort it out later. Did something else, refreshed the water or something and when I came back to close up everything here was this little bird sitting on the threshold to the stall. So I take some video and photos and then call my son to come out to the barn, and tell him to grab a ladder on the way.

So, I'm holding onto this little bird. It's sitting peacefully on my finger when I look in the stall and there's another one on the ground. Our other horse is wanting to get into this same stall (first horse is a sloppy eater and the other one comes in to clean up). So, I grab the other bird. It climbs up on a finger on my other hand. Just chillin. No care in the world. Pruning themselves, looking at me once in a while (or at least in my general direction). Meanwhile, both parents are flitting around and hovering nearby with food (insects) for feeding time. There's still two more little ones in the nest.

My son brings the ladder and we proceed to put them back in the nest. It was funny. They didn't want to get off my son's hand either. Maybe it was the warmth of our hands?

A couple of video clips I grabbed. Hopefully these are viewable.

Bird Video

Back in nest video.

I'd like to say the story ends well, but sadly it doesn't. When my wife went out in the evening to feed the horses again, the birds were back out of the nest - all of them, now in front of the barn. However, my wife noticed a hawk in one of the trees near the barn. The parents were freaking out. Yep - the hawk wiped out the little ones for dinner. :-(

Since then, the barn swallows have started building another nest (in the other stall). Maybe we'll have better luck with this brood.

Statistics
Place: 4 out of 32
Avg (all users): 6.8333
Avg (participants): 6.7059
Avg (non-participants): 7.0000
Views since voting: 931
Views during voting: 59
Votes: 30
Comments: 15
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
Canon EOS-5D Mark IV
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L II
 07/22/2021 07:22:07 PM
not sure about this fellow but yes I need one! good find!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
 07/22/2021 05:39:23 PM
Wow, what a lovely story and an adorable bird.
Nice Image
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 07/22/2021 11:36:16 AM
stunning bird portrait
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R7
Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount
 07/22/2021 09:43:59 AM
I love all things that your shouldn't do, like negative space, centered shot, no rule of 3's. I gave it the only 10 in this challenge. I love it!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Fujifilm X-Pro2
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R IOS
 07/22/2021 07:18:36 AM
Well captured and titled.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R5
Canon RF 24-105mm f/4-7.1 IS STM
 07/22/2021 06:46:41 AM
I know how he feels! Great capture. Congrats on HM.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D500
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM
 07/22/2021 05:17:18 AM
Perfectly shame! Congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III
OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED
 07/22/2021 01:49:12 AM
OMG .. this is priceless .
would go absolutely viral in the right place . !! ..
how you captured that look is like one of those incredible moments some photographers have which they would look back on for many years to come as a gift ..
many congratulations on such an awesome and cute and funny and wonderful image .
and the fourth place . :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon Canon 1d x Mark II
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FG HSM Art
 07/22/2021 12:11:35 AM
Ha, glad it did well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Sony Alpha a1 II
Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS
 07/21/2021 07:43:15 PM
haha!! Nice! I'm not convinced of the negative space, though. I understand being tight on the left side, but I'm not sure the right space adds.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-6D
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
 07/21/2021 05:54:15 PM
Hahahahaha!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Sony Alpha a6700
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
 07/19/2021 09:15:39 AM
Adorable. Love the fluffy feathers.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon Canon 1d x Mark II
Sigma 85mm f/1.4 FG HSM Art
 07/17/2021 08:26:29 PM
Lol, to the title.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z8
Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8
 07/16/2021 09:31:05 AM
This is absolutely adorable. Love those spiky little feathers, and his shadow.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R7
Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount
 07/15/2021 12:22:24 PM
Awww bless! 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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