Unlikely Assailants

The White Stork pair may not nest here for the tranquility of country life or the sweet deal that they landed on the best perch in town. Instead, they receive protection from vigilant sentinels, in exchange for sacrificing some peace and quiet, as the Barn Swallows are constantly jabbering while on duty.

I know, being protected by a swallow may seem far-fetched, considering its small size, but stick with me on this. One may not be able to do much more than provide a tasty meal for a ravenous raptor, but in hordes, they are something to reckon with. Here in Gugny, when they have tired of flying (which is quite rare) and congregate along the power lines, I feel like I have stepped into Alfred Hitchcock’s movie, The Birds, as they leer down at me.

But they don’t just look intimidating. The other day, I witnessed an unidentified falcon in hot pursuit by a swarm of swallows. He swooped in low, miscalculating the angle, and narrowly missed side-swiping the hostel building opposite me. The poor guy made a shaky recovery and glided below the roof, aiming to perch on a nearby fence, so that he could get his wits about him. Yet, this tactic ultimately failed, as he was only granted a few seconds of reprieve, before his assailants swooped in after him.

The following day, another unidentified raptor was scoping out the scene from a comfortable distance overhead. Upon spotting him, the swallows took off screaming vulgarities and chased him away within a matter of minutes. Hours later, a dot in the sky appeared. Even with my binoculars, I couldn’t identify any distinguishing features. He soared in a few easy circles, before disappearing from view. But just because I couldn’t see him any longer, didn’t mean that the threat had diminished. So again, the swallows were on the offensive.

It seems to me that as long as the swallows remain content with their own accommodations, the storks will not need to be particularly vigilant or even lift a feather in defense of their territory. Unless, another stork gets too close, that is.

So what do you think? Does it seem probable or have I been hanging around the birds too much?