Swallow

Today’s dictionary word was “swallow.”  As in the bird.
I had been hoping it was “swallow” as in “cause or allow to pass down one’s throat.”  But no.  That was the word above.  I thought I could make up something, I mean write from a sound knowledge base about swallowing.  Alas it was not to be.  I had to write about Swallows the bird.
There is one saying about Swallows I use often and that is “One swallow does not a summer make.”  That was mentioned in the definition I was looking at. “Warning against hasty inference from one instance.”  Could not have put it better myself.
I was glad I was looking at this definition as when I looked at it in Wikipedia it said, “The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica..”  I was going to say that.  If I knew it.   Which I did not.  So it might be better if I said “I was never going to say that.”
But apparently swallows are common.  A common Swallow seen in Australis is called the “Welcome” Swallow.  It got that name as sailors when they saw them knew that land was close.
I have tried to photograph them, and they are really hard.  I have taken a few pictures of them gathered together at nesting sites but when hunting for insects they fly fast and swoop and dive a lot.  Plus they are really little which adds to the difficulty of photographing them air borne.
I have seen many Swallows here.  The Swallow is of the genus “Hirundo.”  Again referring to Wikipedia “Genus (/ ˈdʒiːnəs / pl.: genera / ˈdʒɛnərə /) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses.”  I knew that.  Well I do now.
It is not some sort of variation on genius.  It is not like Swallows are really good at solving difficult maths problems.
But they are really good at what they do do.  Fly, swoop, nest, breed, hunt.  These sort of things are a part of life in the day of a swallow.