Kind of busy, kind of wet here, ladies and gentlemen. A couple of weeks ago I visited one of Canberra’s wetlands, which is pretty much everywhere here these days. I’d been told that there were plenty of brown snakes in that area and to watch my step, a bit hard to do when there are so many other things to look at. Anyway, I went into one of the bird hides and all of sudden there was this almighty racket outside. I raced outside expecting to see a snake snacking on a nest of baby birds.
But I neither saw or heard anything unusual. How strange. So I went back into the bird hide and all hell broke loose. There were swallows squawking and flying up to my face. It was then that I realised that I was the snake.
They gave me the evil eye.

And plotted their next move under cover of darkness.

Great gobs agape.

Until I slithered silently away.
Gruesome. Not a creature stirred on this wet and windy Halloween night.
This is also my contribution to the Lens-Artists Photo Challenge – Flights of Fantasy.
Take care, everyone.
Kind Regards.
Tracy.
Tracy, I have never thought of you as the snake. Fortunately, all you stole were a few photos! Fantastic shots, I might add😊
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Thank you, Heather. I feel rather foolish for missing their initial cues that I wasn’t welcome. I have very little experience of swallows.
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Great photos. What a shame you spooked them though. Unwittingly, of course.
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I think they are used to interruptions, Margaret, but maybe didn’t expect someone quite so clueless.
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Clueless? You? I think not.
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Great images Tracy and a fun adventure.
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Thanks, Anne. On reflection, I think it fits quite well with the Lens-Artists theme so I’ve updated my post with a link to John’s post. 🙂
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Tracy the snake? Who knew?! Fabulous photos!
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I’ve never been called that before, Lois. 🐍
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We have seen the monster, and the monster is we? 🙂
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Not too hard to believe, Liz. 🐍
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Great bird captures! The last image is really cool!
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Thanks, Amy. It turned out quite well considering how dark it was.
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I prefer to not be the sterotypical ‘snake’ label either – but, when visiting a place I never have OR infrequently do? the chatter that goes dead quiet, once I finally ‘arrive on the final perimeter’ of protected ‘home space’ – doesn’t ALWAYS mean, I, too, need look for snakes, carnivores on the hunt, hidden, stalking predators – it might just mean – I’m the one for which early alarms then ‘okay – shh- we are safe now! Be very, very quiet until this intruder moves on…” operations were embarked upon –
It’s humbling to realize when you fear/look all around for the threat posed to find out – “Oh – um – it was ME!” in the language of others – 😀
and yet, it’s a lesson learned I tried hard, after the lightbulb/enlightenment first showed up for me – to not forget –
But, sometimes? I chafe at how long it takes me to learn the language and give ‘others’ my warning signals – took forever for me and the local gartner snakes (which I WANT for garden/ecosystem health) and the local feral cats (for rodent control) etc., to learn each other’s presence/lingo and for me to give everyone ample time to know who I am and what sounds announce, “I’m out working in the landscape today – run for cover from me/my tools – no sense in either of us stressing each other out!” by surprise or false warnings done -”
😀
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It wasn’t my regular place, so I didn’t know the routine, TJ. I generally try not to intrude.
You sound like you go gently. That certainly aids the learning. Thanks for commenting, TJ.
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Well, I have INTENTS to go gently – but alas, I often fail in two-legged/human world, on various fronts – Mother Nature world? I just seem to be naturally built to ‘get that’ more quickly, even if I don’t know why/how – humans? Ah – I mess that up, all the durn time – even with no malicious or scary intent imagined or thought of – sigh – working on two-legged lingo/language world – R – Me – LOL
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I love it! They definitely gave you the evil eye!
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I think they got sick of being too subtle, Martha. 😆
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🤣
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Great photos you monster you 👾😂
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Thanks, Brian. I don’t have resident swallows like you, so it took me a while to figure out what was going on.
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Gorgeous photos!!! 😍 I wonder if snakes too wonder what all the fuss is about.
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Thanks, Jo. I suspect the snakes are used to it. I once saw some wrens who were very agitated about a red belly black snake approaching their nest. The snake looked pretty intent on getting a meal.
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Lovely story. Poor swallows were really spooked by your snake-like activity. Love the photos. Are they Welcome Swallows?
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They certainly are Welcome Swallows but they weren’t welcoming, lol. 🙂
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Love the story and the photos!
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Thanks, John. Haven’t left a comment on your blog challenge yet. I finished this one before I realised that it would also fit your theme. Will be along shortly.
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Looking forward to seeing your response!
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It’s easy to forget that we can be the threat, isn’t it?
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It really is, Ann.
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Dear little swallows, and great photos. I’m always surprised how many of them squeeze into those somewhat inadequate nests.
A visit to our wetlands a couple of years ago brought us face to face with a very large brown snake. It took me several days to recover from the fright!
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Thank you, Jane. Hopefully that snake had already eaten by the time you got there. 🙂
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Oh my Tracy – a perfect entry for the spooky Halloween week! And those sweet little birds – shame on you for scaring them!!
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Thanks, Tina. That swallow looked quite a lot like dracula. 🙂
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Ewwwww! Excellent.
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Thanks, John.
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You turned the tables on us here. I would have been completely spooked out by the warning.
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Really? They were such little birds, Susan, minding their own business until I came along. 🙂
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I’m scared of snakes, even harmless ones. I really wish I wasn’t.
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That’s okay. Lots of people are scared of them. I was. It helps to know their behaviour and then everyone, snakes included, can go about their business.
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I do try. I am better than I was.
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You ghost you…poor swallows…Excellent shots in the dark! I would not dare walking there.
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I didn’t know whether to go, “boo” or ” boo hoo”, Ann- Christine. 😄
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😀
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Oh my goodness! you got to play the snake without even meaning to!
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I was surprised too.
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