I oftentimes go for long walks at the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, in Chicago. Early this summer, I discovered all these young swallows that had been born just a few weeks earlier. Young birds are just darling. Cute, curious, brave, innocent. They let people get close to them and since they get easily tired at times they fall asleep in your presence.

This little barn swallow landed near where I was shooting and was the cutest thing. She got fluffy (relaxed) and was enjoying the sunshine, looking straight at me, closing her eyes at times, looking around. Not easily phased, she just sat there for about 20 minutes, as relaxed as you would be near a good friend. At moments like this, hanging around nature patiently, you get to see the personality of a bird and coexist in the most wonderful way. I will remember her for a long time. She captured my heart with her fluffy, innocent ways…