Whatzit?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

"Tree Lobster"

Dryococelus australis, six-inch-long stick bug. It has a lobster-esque exoskeleton. It once occupied Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, between Australia and New Zealand. Thought to be extinct. Found specimens on a nearby island. Not so extinct.

So, boiled or steamed? Drawn butter or not?

[HONDO74]

"Tree Lobster"

Dryococelus australis, six-inch-long stick bug. It has a lobster-esque exoskeleton. It once occupied Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, between Australia and New Zealand. Thought to be extinct. Found specimens on a nearby island. Not so extinct.

So, boiled or steamed? Drawn butter or not?

Maybe this one would be better. they’re considered a delicacy in Japan!

[HONDO74]

What are they.....

[rogruth]

It just doesn't look real to me.
But it may be.
I dunno.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Aliens, on holiday .

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Swallows of some sort?

[chuck]

Swallows of some sort?

Yes.

Swallows are also known to be social birds. They live in big colonies that may include several hundred nests. The nests are made in the form of a neat basket. Swallows use mud and their own saliva for building. In some countries, such as India, China, and Indonesia, their nests are considered a real delicacy.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Okay, I was pretty sure of swallows, but the specific species is not at my fingertips.

[MurphOnMillerAve]

Are they what becomes "Birds Nest Soup" ?

[chuck]

Are they what becomes "Birds Nest Soup" ?

No. Those are swiftlets. They have similar taxonomy but are not related.

They look like Cliff Swallows but they may be Barn Swallows. All we can see are parts of their faces in the photo. The white forehead "blaze" makes me lean toward Cliff Swallows even though that looks like it may be a barn peak the nests are built on. Maybe the barn is near a cliff?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

.......may be a barn peak the nests are built on.

Looks like some barn-like structure,

Maybe the barn is near a cliff?

Maybe the birds were just tired of looking for a cliff and settled for a barn?

[webenda]

Are they what becomes "Birds Nest Soup" ?

No. Those are swiftlets. They have similar taxonomy but are not related.

They look like Cliff Swallows but they may be Barn Swallows. All we can see are parts of their faces in the photo. The white forehead "blaze" makes me lean toward Cliff Swallows even though that looks like it may be a barn peak the nests are built on. Maybe the barn is near a cliff?

There are not many birds who a. nest on cliff faces and b. utilize mud as a primary building material. The cliff swallow is really taking advantage of a niche market. Even between Cliff and Barn Swallows (another mud utilizing nest builder) the mud composition is different, so the two species are not competing over the same mud. This likely contributes to the differences in nest shapes between the species. Barn swallows build a more cup shaped nest while the cliff swallows build a dome.

Barn Swallows:

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Just great seeing and hearing all the birds these past 2 years - no swallows about as far as I know, but we do have a family of wrens that have taken ownership of our deck. Fun to watch and then get scolded by every time I go out to water the peppers and poseys....

[MurphOnMillerAve]

I seem to enjoy them the most as the sun begins to go down. My understanding is and my observation would be that such is the time they do their strongest chirping/whistling/singing ; that is, claiming a favorite tree for the night with their voices and flitting about. Plus, if their song has been particularly attractive to some cutie, they hook-up for nighttime nuptials.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I seem to enjoy them the most as the sun begins to go down. My understanding is and my observation would be that such is the time they do their strongest chirping/whistling/singing ; that is, claiming a favorite tree for the night with their voices and flitting about. Plus, if their song has been particularly attractive to some cutie, they hook-up for nighttime nuptials.

Yeah, the couple in the bird house off the deck sing a lot of songs and then scold us regularly whenever we're out watering or just out there at all. You can hear the the kids in the house chirping away! They've claimed the entire deck and part of the surrounding nearby holly tree. Got another couple out in the red barberry and then the cardinals in the broom plants.