I visited Deckers Campground near Denver, CO and had my first look at a colorful, swirling flock of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). I loved their blue-green color and the striking contrast with their white underside. I watched them swirl around a tree cavity, so I am guessing that it was a nest site though I didn’t see anything peeping out from the hole. Tree Swallows are secondary cavity-nesters, meaning that they raise their young in tree cavities made by primary cavity-nesters, like woodpeckers. Tree Swallows will also setup house in nest boxes.

I watched these acrobatic flyers swim just above the surface of the water and either catch a bug or take a drink – or both. Really cool. There were so many of them that I was surprised they did not have any mid-air collisions. Cornell’s Birds of North America Online says that their habitat is open areas near fields or wooded areas, near water…well – like this:

Isn’t this scene just Ba-yeautiful? I was standing IN the river at the time I took this picture and it was great!

I did a double-take as I was hiking along the mountain trail when I saw this…bird?

Can you even believe that? Nature is so bleepin’ cool!