I hear them before I seem them. It’s a rapid, squeaky chirp, sometimes so raspy that it sounds like the snaps from a overhead power line. A sound of spring, because that’s when Violet-green swallows return from Mexico or even further south. They’re plentiful near water where they comb the sky for bugs, and also along cliffs where they find nesting cavities.

They’re not much afraid of people. I actually had one get stuck, momentarily, behind my back a few weeks ago. It swooped in quickly and burrowed in as I was sitting on the edge of the rimrock above the river. On a regular basis, they’ll playfully streak within inches of my head, chirping in my ear.

They’re incredibly fast, true to this note from Cornell Ornithology Lab’s on-line bird guide: “It can be difficult to get a good look at flying Violet-green Swallows, but you might have an easier time following one with your binoculars if you spot one a little bit further away.”

Photographing them is a different sort of challenge. They do perch at times but it’s only when the male swallows are in flight that the bright, violet patches on their rumps become visible. Getting those shots, takes calculation, patience, practice, and more patience. It’s worth it though. Take a look…