Violet-green Swallow
©Dustin Dovala
Published:
July 28, 2008
Pausing for an instant, a Violet-green Swallow casts a glance over its shoulder.
The swallow
(Tachycineta thalassina) landed on a branch at the Pearson-Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto, California, only a few steps away from Dustin Dovala. "This was the first time I got close to one of these beautiful birds," he said. "I see them all the time, but they are usually flying very fast. I took a quick series of shots before it flew off and caught it looking back at me. I never knew they had so much color!" Dustin used a Nikon D200 with a 200-400mm lens.
You can see the bird at these great birdwatching hotspots:
Lands End and Sutro Heights, San Francisco, California Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge in New MexicoMendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, Juneau, AlaskaView photos of other swallows:
- Barn Swallow
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Tree SwallowDirections, maps, bird lists, and tips for more easy-to-get-to birdwatching destinations.Talk about this photo, and read what other people are saying about it, in our photography forum.
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