While prowling about on seldom travelled country roads in Pickering, I came across three juvenile Barn Swallows on a hydro wire. The unusual sky colour is the result of far away forest fire smoke which has been drifting over our area.

Occasionally they would all excitedly flap their wings

and their beaks would open wide.

Every few minutes a parent would arrive with a tasty insect and put it as far down the throat of their chick as possible.

Each of the three chicks received a regular morsel.

Here are more photos of the activities.

MYSTERY BIRD

I will identify it at the end of the post.

More swallows:

MYSTERY BIRD

This dusky-coloured bird with a long bill is a juvenile Starling.

NATURE POETRY

Deep in the midnight the rain whips the leaves,
Softly and sadly the wood-spirit grieves.
But when the first hue of dawn tints the sky,
I shall shake out my wings like the birds and be dry;
And though, like the rain-drops, I grieved through the dark,
I shall wake in the morning to sing with the lark.           – Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872–1906)

Miles Hearn