Photobombing Bird

  For the past, oh, year or so, the Bayou has seen more than its share of rain.  We are lucky, though, since we live high up on a hill overlooking the water.  Other folks' places are pretty much soggy.  Take a stroll through their yards and you better be wearing waders.  Your shoes are guaranteed to be sloppy wet otherwise.  Here, however, the rain simply runs down the hillside and into the Bayou.  It is not uncommon for a dark cloud to push up on the horizon in a moment's notice.  More than once, I have been caught off guard and had to make a mad dash back to the Little Bayou House to escape the torrential downpour.

  Earlier today, the clouds on the western horizon were particularly black and threatening.  I had gone down to the pier to check the crab traps (which, by the way, are no more thanks to the alligator!) and noticed that a storm was quickly forming.  There was only time to grab one photograph before thunder started booming overhead. Time for me to scoot myself back up that hill!

  Later, I realized that I had inadvertently photographed a swallow at the same time as the cloud.  These little birds were zipping about just above the water's surface as they snapped up all sorts of insects.  The midges and mosquitoes did not stand a chance! There is a whole colony of the birds nesting in a cupola of my neighbor's house. The family does not seem to mind or are not aware of their house guests which makes it nice for both me and the birds!  They have a nice cozy home to raise their young and I get free insect control. (Although....I would hate to be the one that cleans the cupola!)

  The rest of the day was spent watching similar squalls roll in off the Gulf.  All I could do was admire the photograph and my friendly, little photo-bomber!