SAPPHIRE CLIFF-HANGER

Like a camouflaged jewel, a migratory swallow takes a brief rest against the sheer cliff face at dusk.

This capture was taken on a very windy day during one of my local trips along the coast. While hiking on a winding path above a precipitous cliff next to the sea, I noticed a small group of swallows hugging the rock below. I always wanted to get a shot of this bird but, to be honest, found it so hard to get one. It was almost impossible for me to take a shot where I felt I could capture their essence and beauty. In flight, they are incredibly fast, twisting and turning as they pick insects out of the air like tiny darts. When at rest, one usually only sees them from below, with their gray colors showing. So the chances of getting a shot from above remain fairly slim. In this case, I got lucky and managed to get a few of these shots before they flew off.

On another note, what amazed me was their chosen location to rest (a sheer vertical wall of about 50 meters plus height). They seemed to have chosen their spot well, as the rocks displayed very similar patterns and colours to their bodies, as seen here. In fact, when I first looked at the spot with the naked eye, I wasn't sure there was a swallow there in the first place. However, once I zoomed in a bit, this is what I saw and, with great delight, captured.

FEATHERED FRIENDS COLLECTION

Welcome to our feathered friends, with their flights of fancy, twitchers' delight, and the lightest touch.

Ever-present in our lives, birds fill the skies, settle in tree branches, and thrive on the ground. Their movements fill us with delight and awe; their silence is broken by delightful songs or anxious craws. This collection celebrates these moments in time with our feathered friends.