Wire birds

This week's SMAP is... birds on wire! I confess, it's one of my less prefered spots to photograph them, since I prefer wildlife photography without any human made element; but no arguing that wires are a great space to spot our #featheredfriends!

^{European serin - Serinus serinus}

Serins, being such prolific singers, only make the task of finding them even easier; these were taken in Spring, but they sing loudly all year long, and their singing is very easy to identify.

Double wires do add a nice simmetry to the photography composition, I'll give them that; even more because I didn't use that big of a zoom, so the serin, although easy to recognize, is further than wht I would have liked. But here he is on a closer view, and in an acrobatic pose!

Moving on to a nearby wire, a species I started to see more and more recently.

^{Cirl bunting - Emberiza cirlus}

Funny how just a couple years back, I hadn't been able to photograph a single one, and only saw them very briefly a couple of times; nowadays, I think I was able to spot them perching every time I birdwatched in this location.

There she is, in a closer view, with the typical eye mask. Unlike the serins, I don't think I've heard them sing even once; or if I did, it was lost in the chirping all around - can't tell how they sound...yet!

Very close to home, there's a chance to spot more "urban" birds in the village wires. Care to take a guess which ones, not including sparrows?

^{Barn swallow - Hirundo rustica}

Swallows, what else? They start to arrive in early spring, and they're a constant presence in the village. There are more swallow species, but the reddish face, long tail feathers and the colour pattern make it easy to identify them.

Although the lighting is not the best, the red face is clearer in the second photo; might be harder to notice from a distance, but the rest of the black and white pattern along with the long tail are sure characteristics. More often then not, they will stand quietly in the high wires, so you'll be able to see them close!

Sometimes, wires bring a bonus: more than one species!

^{European bee-eater - Merops apiaster + Spotless starling - Sturnus unicolor}

It's funny the contrast here: a black only bird, the starling on the left, and one of the most colourful birds we have on the country on the right, the bee eater! No idea what are they paying attention to, though...

So great when they all get along, right? Humanity could pick up a few lessons from birds for sure!

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