Among the most challenging of birds to photograph in flight are the various swallow species, such as barn swallows, cliff swallows and tree swallows. These birds seem to live most of their lives on the wing, barely stopping to rest. This is because they’re “aerial insectivores,” the term for insect-eating birds and bats that forage while flying. Many times, I’ve attempted to freeze them in flight without success.
On summer vacation in Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland, I stumbled on a particularly good opportunity to photograph barn swallows in flight. Although this species probably once nested primarily in caves and on cliffs, they now tend to use manmade structures, placing their nests under the eaves of rooflines, porches and doorways. One day at the beach with my family, I…
