Swooping Swallows

The place where I'm working (temporarily) has a beautiful campus - open areas, lots of huge trees, sort of in the country.  In other words, a great place for birdwatching.  I've seen red-tailed hawks a couple of times, and on my very first day a beautiful little bluebird landed on the back of the bench right in front of my car.

Eastern bluebird   Source:  Wikipedia

Monday I was standing looking out the door and I saw an iridescent dark bird with a white breast flying around.  I didn't have my binoculars, but I suspect that I was watching a tree swallow. 

Source:  Wikipedia

I don't know that I have ever seen one before.  Their diet consists of mostly insects and even with their tiny bills are proficient predators.  They normally nest in cavities in trees, but will also take over bluebird boxes or other small bird boxes.

There are over 80 species in the swallow family which includes the purple martin.  The most widespread species is the barn swallow.

Source:  Wikipedia

Swallows have the specialized streamlined body and wings designed for maneuverability and are masters at plucking insects out of the air.

The swallow family includes the more exotic looking Lesser Striped Swallow...

Source:  Wikipedia

and the Greater Striped Swallow, both residents of Africa.

Source:  Wikipedia

The Welcome swallow, native to Australia...

Source:  Wikipedia

The Dusky Crag Martin of South Asia...

Source:  Wikipedia

And the red-rumped swallow of southern Europe and Asia.

Source:  Wikipedia

I love just standing in the parking lot at work and listening to all the birds, sometimes calling back and forth to each other.  Can't wait to see what new bird I'll see next.

UPDATE:  I saw the tree swallow again and this time I had binoculars.  It has the most unusual song.  Click here to hear it.