How To Crochet Mirrored Picots

Once you have mastered normal picots and downward picots, mirrored picots are a simple affair. Close mirrored picots will quickly become a favourite embellishment in your crochet.
1

Welcome Swallow

I'm not saying 'hello', this little cutie is actually called the 'Welcome Swallow'. 


According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.

The 'Welcome Swallow'. According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.

We startled him/her enough when we first stumbled across her to ruffle her feathers a little.

The 'Welcome Swallow'. According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.

But after that we didn't bother her a bit. Such a tiny little thing, an electrical cord makes a great perch.

The 'Welcome Swallow'. According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.

 She let me get right up close.

The 'Welcome Swallow'. According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.

 We found her nest hidden just around the corner.

Nest of the the 'Welcome Swallow'.

And the mess right under it. Not so cute.

Droppings under the nest of a welcome swallow.

She decided to  pose for the camera. Hardly surprising, her home is in the roof of a twitcher's hut. I'm sure camera's are nothing new to her.

The 'Welcome Swallow'. According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.

The 'Welcome Swallow'. According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.


The 'Welcome Swallow'. According to Wikipedia this little bird's name refers to people welcoming its return as a herald of spring.

Comments

  1. Coombe Mill11 October 2015 at 15:53

    Wow these are stunning photos, it looks like you are right into his thoughts there

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  2. Mock-Turtle11 October 2015 at 16:17

    Love this! Swallows are very beautiful. I'm very fond of them since I love Oscar Wildes story of 'The Happy Prince'. Do you know it? I had a tame robin for a year. He sat in my hand to eat seed and tidbits. Unfortunately he disappeared a couple of months ago. I'm hopeful he will come back to me.
    Fellow linker at #mysundayphoto

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    Replies
    1. Purfylle17 October 2015 at 09:06

      I've never read The Happy Prince, I think I'll have to hunt it down. How wonderful it would be to have a robin visit, I hope yours comes back.

      Delete
  3. OneDad3Girls11 October 2015 at 17:48

    Beautiful photos, it's a very pretty bird

    Thank you for linking up

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  4. Cathy12 October 2015 at 01:40

    What a stunning bird, I'm surprised you got so close, fab photos x

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  5. Kim Carberry12 October 2015 at 02:13

    What a beautiful bird....Well done for getting so close x

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  6. Crochet Hooks12 October 2015 at 08:47

    super pretty!!

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  7. Anonymous12 October 2015 at 20:59

    Lovely creature!!! I always wanted to see a nest & own one that is no longer use if possible as it looks so pretty interesting to have =) #mysundayphoto

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    1. Purfylle17 October 2015 at 09:08

      I'm not sure I would want that particular nest, it's made of spiderwebs and spit.

      Delete
  8. elizabeth13 October 2015 at 12:04

    Beautiful captures!

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  9. NC Sue13 October 2015 at 16:56

    What lens do you use? It looks like you're right beside the bird with the camera!
    Beautiful photos - as always!
    Thank you for dropping by http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-little-bit-squirrelly.html to share.

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    Replies
    1. Purfylle17 October 2015 at 09:09

      I was right beside him! He lives in the eaves of the bird watching society so humans with cameras are a common sight for him. I used my 55-250mm zoom for most of my shots, this one included.

      Delete
  10. Rhonda Albom13 October 2015 at 17:16

    Nope, the mess is not so cute, but the bird sure is. Interesting how he looks as though he has no neck in the straight on photos.

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    1. Purfylle17 October 2015 at 09:11

      Hahaha, you're right about his neck! Owls are the same, I wonder how they have so much movement with so short a neck?

      Delete
  11. Victoria Welton13 October 2015 at 18:39

    Swallows are just gorgeous birds. I would love to photograph them. You have done a great job - beautiful images.

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    Replies
    1. Purfylle17 October 2015 at 09:12

      I don't think I would ever have got such a great capture if he hadn't been so used to humans.

      Delete
  12. Dean of Little Steps14 October 2015 at 03:36

    How lucky you were able to capture these photos of swallows - so beautiful! :) #animaltales.

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  13. Lisa197014 October 2015 at 04:15

    What a beautiful bird; I was sure you were welcoming it but what a super name! :)

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  14. Ersatz Expat14 October 2015 at 11:57

    Oh she is a beauty!

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  15. chickenruby14 October 2015 at 21:27

    what gorgeous photos, you've captured the swallow so well and she seems so friendly for a wild bird

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  16. Christy Paws14 October 2015 at 22:43

    Oh, I love bird watching! Mom put a bird feeder right outside my favorite window. This is a pretty little bird.

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  17. Mama Herself15 October 2015 at 04:23

    We had swallows (or possibly swifts) nesting in our roof space for two years running. I loved seeing them swooping around, they really do fly like nothing else.

    But my goodness the shrieking! The nest was right over the kids' bedroom too, and the baby birds would wake up and demand food at 6am without fail. Aaaaargh!

    On the upside, there is now one bird call I can reliably recognise.

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    Replies
    1. Purfylle17 October 2015 at 09:32

      We get magpies nesting nearby and they sing all night until the season is over it seams. If you wake up in the middle of the night you think it must be dawn with all that singing. At least it's a pretty sound and not screeching.

      Delete
  18. Mother of Mad Cats & Babies15 October 2015 at 15:17

    Those are amazing photos. When I was at school our headmaster used to give a full sized Mars bar to the first person/people to spot the first swallows of the year. We all used to want to be first. They're beautiful birds! #animaltales

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  19. Daddyphotoblog16 October 2015 at 19:32

    Wow, Brilliant and vibrant photographs. It can be hard to be quiet with a noisy camera.

    Thanks for sharing.

    John

    ReplyDelete
  20. Pierced Wonderings17 October 2015 at 08:30

    Oh wow! I can't believe that she let you get that close. Amazing! Great captures!

    Thank you for sharing them with us at Photo Friday!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Neesie18 October 2015 at 06:57

    What an exquisite collection of photographs. Amazing to capture the cute little swallow in such detail.
    We have swallows visit us, but they left their nest in our wood store. I hope they return next year.

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    Replies
    1. Purfylle19 October 2015 at 19:16

      I don't know if they return to the same nest, some birds do. I hope your swallows do!

      Delete
  22. bettyl-NZ19 October 2015 at 14:07

    Great photos! We have a lot of them that hang around the house now and then during the summer. They are definitely not afraid of us and fly very close to us and the house. I love to see them flying around.

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  23. Eco Gites of Lénault19 October 2015 at 14:55

    Beautiful - I never thought of you having migrating swallows in Australia as well. Our European left for warmer climes a few weeks ago and in fact went very early this year so I am wondering if they think we are in for a hard winter. Where do your swallows spend the other half of the year? #AnimalTales

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    Replies
    1. Purfylle19 October 2015 at 19:15

      Our swallows are lazy and just head up the coast a little way where it's a bit warmer. We don't get the crazy cold you get =)

      Delete

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