Glossy Swiftlet
Collocalia esculenta
These Swiftlets have been occupying my late uncle's old garage at a Malaysian hill station home for a very long time. I have fond memories of this home and in November 2010, I had the greatest pleasure in staying there again - a lapse of at least 40 years. I knew my uncle had photographed them and I was given a book by my Aunt, Lady McNeice - his sister, that had a few photos of these birds that he had taken in June 1961, and I am attaching one of them here. He was a master at B/W bird photos, as you can plainly see. It is truly amazing that 50 years later, the birds are still nesting there!
I was back there again in September, 2011 to get some better photos. They were just beginning to rebuild their nests. And, in February 2012, I had the pleasure of taking my good friend, Bob Steele, there and we attempted with great difficulty to get these birds in flight.
