Nature clicks #225 - Cliff Swallow

 

Back in early May I reintroduced you to several of the swallow species that we can find here in Eastern Iowa. If you missed this post but still like to have a look, just click HERE and a new window will open and will bring you back to this post. One species was missing, the Cliff Swallow, although I had seen it in 2013. Luckily a few days ago I recognized some swallows flying under one of the bridges that cross the Little Maquoketa River down in our valley. Pretty soon I identified them as Cliff Swallows, mainly by the distinctive spot on their forehead. I came back last Sunday, prepared to climb under the bridge into the mud of the river bed. They were in process of building their nests out of the mud that they can just find below in the river.

I think it is fascinating to watch these little architects how they do this. For them the structure of the bridge is a perfect place and a great habitat to raise their offspring. The building material is right below, the bridge protects them from predators and weather, and they have plenty of food available because of all the insects that call the river bed home. The only concern that I have is a big river flood, as we have seen it before, when the water level may reach the lower parts of the bridge. This would cut them off from the nest and may put their chicks in danger.

I shot these images in an awkward position on a steep slope under the bridge for about thirty minutes. The mosquitos were biting, it was muddy and slippery, and I was concerned, not so much about myself, but about my gear falling into the river. At the end I was very happy about to see the Cliff Swallows again and bring home some decent photos that tell a little story about these master architects.

Second thoughts

 

Sometimes it needs a kick from someone else to realize the potential a photo may have (or may not have) and to make us thinking about it a little more. Since four years I publish every week a photo in a gallery called “20XX - 52 WEEKS”  over in my web gallery at www.pbase.com/deadmoon . I’m a little behind at the moment and just posted the image for the 45th week, which was in early November. It was the photo above and It was the only image I thought it was worth to publish for this particular week, However, it got immediately a couple comments on the website. I actually thought the photo wasn’t that great because the wind moved the leaves and therefor it lacks a little detail, but it is the lines of the tree trunks, the golden fall colors of the leaves, and the light in general that make it obviously acceptable. I’m very thankful for the comments on that photo, not just because they were positive, but they made me thinking about that day again and the circumstances that made me push the shutter release button.

It was probably the only day during 2013 to make this photo the way it is. The location is a campground near Bellevue, Iowa that is located right along the Mississippi River. The campground hasn’t been open all year long because it got flooded earlier this year and the ground was covered with an ugly layer of mud. The days before this photo was made the temperature dropped into the freezing zone at night and as a result all the trees, mostly maples, started to get rid of their leaves and covered the mud completely.

I like if an image tells a story by itself, but sometimes there is a little background story that can’t be told by the picture but that makes the circumstances of its making memorable. I hope you enjoy…

Flood in Dubuque County - part 2

Durango, IA 11:11AM, A layer of mud covers the highway

Heritage trail and surrounding fields were still flooded

A few more pictures from yesterday's flood. The images from yesterday were made between 8:30 and 8:50AM. At 11:11AM the water level was already lower and left the Highway covered with a layer of slick mud. The Heritage trail and the surrounding fields were still under water. It was raining again and there were concerns about more water.

Durango, IA at 4:42PM

At 4:42PM the water had retreated for the most part to the river bed but was still flowing with high speed. The rain had stopped and the people in Durango were already cleaning up the mess.

Flood in Dubuque County

Little Maquoketa River in Durango, Iowa

My blog has never been as actual as at this moment. What you see here is still going on while I'm writing this. We had heavy thunderstorms with a lot of rain all night long rolling over Dubuque County. As a result the Little Maquoketa River and probably all other creeks and rivers around are flooded. That puts us on an island since all roads to Dubuque are blocked. I feel bad for the farmers down in the valley. Their crops are just washed away or drowned. The Heritage trail, a very nice recreation trail in the valley, will probably be damaged again as we have already seen it two years ago. Stay tuned...

At the bridge on Clay Hill road

Highway 52 between Sageville and Durango, Iowa

Little Maquoketa River near Durango, Iowa