I’d decided to go for a brisk walk. NO birding, I’d promised myself. But I knew it was a hollow promise when I slung my camera around my neck! (well, even without the camera,I’d stop for any interesting bird or other creature…I knew it.) Like an addict who’s determined to kick the addiction, I set off at a brisk pace.

For one hour, all went well. I turned my face resolutely from the Robins and the Grackles and the various Red-winged Blackbird pairs I saw. I walked up to the Prairie Area in Forest Park, and things started disintegrating as several flycatchers…Eastern Kingbirds, and Eastern Phoebes..made their appearance. I saw a Green Heron taking off, and resisted going after it to the Des Peres creek,where I knew it would go fishing. But as I walked home, along the conifers near Lindell Boulevard, I saw some Barn Swallows swooping along the grass, hawking insects. Then, I noticed one swallow going towards a little blob on one of the conifers….I stopped in my tracks, my resolve forgotten, because this was a parent, feeding a fledgling…

no,TWO fledglings,

sitting comfortably on the conifer branch, waiting for the parents to bring them food!

In between feedings, they'd preen: But food took preference: Here's one parent... Both the fledglings here... Synchronized looking out for the parents! Preening: It was fascinating to watch the nursery meal in progress!

Both parents are visible in this image….

I dragged my reluctant feet off to go home, not realizing that another drama of a Red-tailed Hawk being mobbed by Robins and Grackles was going to grip me at the end of the walk!

I’ve put up the photos on my FB album,

click here

to see them!