Swallows on the ground

Some strange weather conditions over the past few weeks in Barga – unseasonably low temperatures and lots, and we do mean lots, of rain has left not just the Barghigiani a bit baffled and lost but also the bird population has been put to the test. The swallows and swifts which come back to Barga each spring after their long winter sojourn in warmer climes are once again in evidence but in very reduced numbers this year.

Many people have noted that the birds have been seen not just flying low, generally thought to be a sign of impending bad weather, but also actually stopping their swooping flight and resting on the ground – something which does not happen all that often, according to local lore.

The cooler weather has meant that the insect population is also weeks behind its normal timespan and so there is some doubt as to just what the swallows are actually feeding on.

It turns out that the low level scavenging on the stones in Barga Vecchia is not with the idea of eating but rather the other main reason that the birds are here – making nets and breeding. They are scavenging for material to add to their nests.

Marino from Aristo’s bar in Barga Vecchia put this to the test by placing small pieces of white cotton wool on the piazza outside his bar. Within seconds the birds has located the white objects and swooped down in a flurry of acrobatic flight to snatch the cotton wool from the ground.

The award winning barganews photographer O’Connor was there to capture some of the action.

[View with PicLens]

• A good year for the Swallows