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Daily Bucket Friday Sequence: Gone But Not Forgotten [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2025-09-19

I was able to document three previously unobserved Barn Swallow behaviors this year. One of those was the extrapolated tactical training of a Stubborn Child, presented in a Dawn Chorus ( www.dailykos.com/… ) 8/31. While my resident tribe has departed for this year I am now in the process of closing the books on my 2025 Swallow photo season. That will clear my desktop storage in preparation for what I hope is a great new year of Eagle interactions. THE DAILY BUCKET IS A NATURE REFUGE. WE AMICABLY DISCUSS ANIMALS, WEATHER, CLIMATE, SOIL, PLANTS, WATERS AND NOTE LIFE’S PATTERNS.

WE INVITE YOU TO NOTE WHAT YOU ARE SEEING AROUND YOU IN YOUR OWN PART OF THE WORLD, AND TO SHARE YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW. Earlier in the year, not long after the initial breeding term, I witnessed my first ever instance of inner-tribal aggression. I hope the photos I managed to capture will give you the chance to see this unusual behavior for yourself. To set the scene I must first address the arrival of a new male tribal member I named Darth. Darth is somewhat larger than all the other male members, which proved to be a problem for our Main Papa, the dominant male here for the last few years.

After nest restoration and building new nests Swallows move right on to the breeding season. That is when Main Papa really shines. Literally shines. All the males do.

Main Papa resting and showing off his peak pigment display.

My tribe of Swallows use the power line as their primary outdoor ‘public’ meeting location. They exchange plans, formulate new strategies, rest after hunts, and as a courting and breeding setup.

Lined up. This is also when choices can be made. These are mostly males waiting for the females to arrive. Males make their move and females are either receptive of not. The lead pic shows a dominant male moving on a receptive female.

Darth (at left) has been following Main Papa around with a keen eye on what he is up to. This photo skips few few earlier details and shows Main Papa leaving after successfully mating with Crazy Bird. Crazy Bird is the female perched on the left. But Elegante exhibits favorable attitude to Darth who is on his way.

Darth skips over Crazy Bird on his way to a beckoning Elegante. See the former pic.

Darth’s approach to a waiting Elegante.

Darth making his move.

He settles in on Elegante’s back. Then the deed is done while you blink.

Why did I show you love scenes when I said this was about an act of aggression? Because, as you shall see, there is sometimes a fine line between love and war.

After the mating is done the females retire to their nest to begin egg incubation. That leaves the males to hunt and rest. After all, it hasn’t been long since these birds have finished off a non-stop trip of thousands of miles and nest building duties.

Three males resting on the line. Left is unknown, center is Main Papa, and right is Darth. I think a closer look will be helpful.

Main Papa (center) is obviously stressed, has loose feathers, and crud surrounding each eye. Definitely not like his earlier condition. Darth is studying him, conniving a plan to become the NEW Main Papa. Darth is somewhat larger than all the other birds in our tribe. I don’t know why that is but that is the case. At this moment Darth is seeing that Main Papa is compromised and can’t see him.

Darth makes his move!

Darth attacks while Main Papa cannot see him coming. Note Main Papa has only one foot grasping the line.

Darth’s attack is fast and furious, catching Main Papa by complete surprise. Note that Darth’s attack move is the same as was employed during mating sequence. Details

We have arrived at a moment of truth. How will this turn out? There are numerous possibilities. Darth is attempting a coup so his intent is to dethrone Main Papa. He has Main Papa secured by the back and has nearly ripped Main Papa right off the line of support. If he succeeds completely dislodging Papa from the line it is likely he will ride Papa into the ground below. What might happen after that is anyone’s guess. As it is Darth has succeeded in a show of force that results in complete humiliation for Main Papa. Losing his position would make him feel shamed and worthless.

But that is not what happened. You should have noticed Papa’s foot grasping the line prior to the attack. As Darth attempts to rip him off the line two things happen. First, Darth’s grip on Papa’s back does not hold and Darth reverses direction without his victim. Second is that Papa’s grip on the line is not completely broken. Note Papa still has one talon with a grip. Once Darth loses his grip Papa is able to right himself and struggle back up onto the line. He took a quick look around then launched to fly across the pond, disappearing into the heavy foliage of the trees behind the willows. Darth returns to the line like a victorious rooster.

I looked and looked but could never find a clue about what happened to Main Papa. It was as though he had vaporized in shame. About a week and a half passed and I still hadn’t seen anything of him. But then one bright an shining morning I was on my way to the pond to see if I could catch some early dippers. Sitting on my bucket seat I looked around the pond, then spotted something on a twig among the willows.

He lives! It was Main Papa, alive and looking in somewhat better condition.

I can’t even describe my relief to see that Papa was alive and improving in health. It was a brief reunion though. He quickly retreated back into the dense leaves of the larger oaks. More days passed with no sign of him. Then came a big surprise one fine morning. As I crawled through the pasture fence I looked up and there, sitting atop a hay ring, was Main Papa warning in the morning Sun. He looked very much improved and was acting chipper. But right then Darth suddenly arrived to perch near Main Papa. Darth did not get completely perched before Papa lit into him with a barrage of verbal abuse! Darth was impressed, especially when Papa began advancing toward him, the stream of threatening language non-stop.

Main Papa gives Darth lingo HELL! Darth retreats. That is the important sign needed by Papa. Darth returned to a perch on the power line but Main Papa went straight into the barn. At least for the time being things were back to normal, and...

All’s well that ends well.

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