birds in the Alley

There are birds in Art Alley, some goofy, some symbolic, high up on the brick walls. They have company, chimney swifts forage over downtown for insects and roost in old brick chimneys in the area.



Then, there are the surprises. This violet-green swallow, who is supposed to be a creature of open woodlands and cliff-sides, decided on the "canyons" of Art Alley to raise a family! She and her mate found a wall where several bricks had fallen and made a convenient cave to build a nest. Here, she is carrying food to a very noisy brood of young ones and very suspicious of a human aiming a camera at her. She sat still only a few seconds before darting into the nest hole. Watch tomorrow for the view out the front door of Chez Swallow...it is a beaut.