Welcome Swallow in Flight

Following on from getting Dragonflies in flight, of late I've been trying to get Swallows in flight. Unfortunately, though I am getting a few shots in focus, as these chaps are so tiny, I am not getting them at close enough distances for the images that do work even being acceptable heavily cropped, so they get binned.

This is the best I've managed to get so far. It's a Welcome Swallow, I think, captured skimming a lake, and its a fairly serious crop...man these guys are fast and their flight paths are so unpredictable. One second you have it, next its gone.

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that is beautiful, the color and detail is amazing.

Thank you very much Rick. Hopefully one day I'll manage to get one far larger in the frame. That's the task I've set myself, anyhow.

Ah, yes, must add. In all of the shots I notice I cannot see their legs, as in this one also. I assume they tuck into or under the feathers.

Well you have managed to do something that has eluded me for years. I am just way too slow to catch those little jet-planes when they're on the move. Great catch.

Great shot...Love the colors.

Swallows are such fast little buggers with such erratic flight patterns that I find it very difficult to get a good shot of. I recently managed my first decent (as in sharp and in focus) in-flight pics, but they were even smaller in the frame... Which is my way of saying that you did very well here, Andrew! The image is very good.

Thanks for the lovely comments, Dave, Mark and Levina - much appreciated.

I love these guys because, as subject, they really make you work for it so they are a great mission to latch on to.

Lovely shot Andrew, I reckon you've done very well getting this one, the light is at the perfect angle to show the eye.

Great result. I've tried hard to photograph Swallows but never gotten anything up to this standard.

Thanks, joe, Mark. Appreciated. I did get a load of duds as well.

THat is fantastic!

That's one of the best swallow-in-flight shots I've seen; not easily done.
Al

Thanks both! Really appreciated.

I'll agree with everyone else, that is an excellent shot! Super job Andrew.

+1, an excellent IF shot of the swallow