Aerial Acrobats at LAWD

Posted

Every spring I look forward to photographing the baby swallows as they line up and dance to beg for food. Last Saturday at Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive (LAWD) I found Barn Swallows congregating near their nesting site. I grabbed my intermediate telephoto lens and challenged myself to get some sharp photos of these tiny aerial acrobats.

Barn Swallow in Flight
Barn Swallow in Flight

It’s a challenge to photograph these birds on the wing. They are rapid fliers as they zoom around over the canals. I think they are nesting under this one bridge. Occasionally they would land on a branch out over the water, so I positioned myself low on the bridge and waited. Then this bird posed right in front of my lens. :)

Barn Swallow
Barn Swallow

It’s quite fun to practice your flight photography skills on these little guys. I was happy to get a few shots in focus. When I looked at the images on my computer, I saw that the birds were dive-bombing insects in midair. They reminded me of the Swallow-tailed Kites that congregate over these same fields at the end of the summer.

Aerial Acrobat
Aerial Acrobat

Want to learn more about nature photography at Lake Apopka?

Check out my Lake Apopka page with more information about the location, map, website, photography tips, etc. It is archived by date so you can see my images from previous visits. Maybe you'll be inspired for your own trip!

Planning a trip to Florida? Don't miss my Central Florida Bird Photography Locations reference guide!