![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/violet-green-swallow-nest-cavity.jpg\" "\\"violet-green-swallow-nest-cavity.\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\n1\/3200, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 100-400mm f\/4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 360mm, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Yesterday morning in the mountains I found what may be a small colony of nesting Violet-green Swallows. Apparently one or more pairs were nesting in the cavity of this large, broken and decaying cottonwood branch, as evidenced by the fact that multiple swallows were fighting over it. Sometimes viciously.<\/p>\n I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen (or at least recognized) Violet-green Swallows in my lifetime and I’d never taken any keeper photos of them so of course I made an effort to improve my miserable track record. The shooting was tough – they were side-lit, the shooting angle was fairly steep and annoying shadows from myriad twigs and branches were being cast almost everywhere. All I could do was try.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/6400, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n Even in the sidelight I was blown away by their distinctive markings and beautiful colors when the light hit them just right.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n This ledge or shelf to the left of the cavity entrance was one of their favorite perches. Typically they’d hang from it and look backwards for incoming swallows. If one came in they’d sometimes fight briefly but the fights were very difficult to photograph well in this side light..<\/p>\n Just as often there would be no fighting and the hanging swallow would eventually take off, which sometime meant…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n the takeoff was upside down and backwards. Immediately after takeoff they’d twist in the air and turn right side up but by then I’d lose focus on them or they were out of frame.<\/p>\n But I kept trying and eventually I came close to getting what I was after.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/5.6, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n This is a different swallow a few moments later. ‘He’s’ far enough away from the tree to be out of its shadows so he’s better lit and his spectacular colors really pop, even though he isn’t quite as sharp as I’d like.. “Violet-green<\/em>” Swallow indeed.<\/p>\n I’m itching to get back here and try to photograph these swallows in better light. Who knows what a different light angle might do for their colors.<\/p>\n Audubon called this species \u201cthe most beautiful swallow within the limits of the United States\u201d but I think ornithologist William Leon Dawson said it best. While writing his account of Violet-green Swallows Dawson searched for sufficient praise by saying “If we lavished any superlatives on the tree swallow, we regret it now \u2026 we need all our superlatives for present use.\u201d<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My first decent photos of this species. I’m gobsmacked by their beauty.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n