First Flight

My office sits on the city line between Forney and Terrell (8 miles either way) in Kaufman county. It sounds like a crazy location but it's there because it's in the center of the area we service in home health care. The office itself is a house that was once someone's home and it sits off the road in an area of green fields and sparse homes. My office view across the road is a pasture of cows.



This spring a pair of barn swallows returned to a nest on our front porch that they had built the previous year and made it home once again. The family grew from 2 to 6 with the 4 new babies. Two weeks ago we saw the parents trying to fill 4 little mouths that were always open and then this week the babies moved out of the nest to the edge.



There were 4 pretty little babies sitting on the nest looking at me on Monday, but I didn't have my camera. When I brought it Tuesday there were three. One had already flown from the nest. The next 3 were contemplating flight and deciding who would go next. Because I actually have to work, I did not get to stand there and see the actual take offs, but from my office window I saw them in flight and heard them "singing shouts of exhilaration".

Now there were two.

I rushed to get my camera but I still missed the first flights. Now there was only one left to make the daring flight, and he too soon left the nest that day. They came back on Wednesday for a brief respite but since have been out flying in the fields nearby. I miss the birds being on the porch every day while I am at work, but I am already looking forward to next year's family.