The New Arrivals!

Remember those barn swallows we showed you about two weeks ago?

The literature says that the longer the male's tail feathers are, the more attractive he is to

 the female.  This guy must have had some pretty good "tail feather appeal".  Look what they did! 

Right now these babies look somewhat like little martians!!

Even though it's hard to believe, this little guy will soon look like his beautiful 

parents!

Both parents have been busy feeding this brood of four (there is another one in there, even though you can't see him).  

Barn Swallows are back....

They're back and they're busy!!

The barn swallows are back from their annual trip south.  These beautiful, gregarious little birds migrate as far south as Mexico, the Lesser Antilles, Costa Rica, Panama and South America every winter.  (Hmmm, maybe I'll come back as a swallow in my next life.)

Every summer they return to breed throughout North America.  This particular pair chose to make their nest on top of a light fixture on a dock at Lake of the Ozarks.  I love to watch

 these graceful little creatures as they swoop and dive after insects over the lake.  Even more amazing is their ability to get a drink by dipping their beaks into the lake as they skim over the water.

This pair is relatively fearless as they go about their nesting duties right over the heads of the  

 swimmers, boaters and fishermen who regularly use this dock.