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Swallow (tsubame)
***** Location: Japan, other countries
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Animal
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Explanation
. hatsu hibari 初雲雀 first lark .
and more kigo with the LARK, skylark, hibari
Japanese skylark, fam, Alaudidae
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tsubame ツバメ（つばめ） 燕 swallow、martin
fam. Passeriformes
... ... ... Kigo for SPRING
barn swallow, tsubame 燕, 乙鳥, 玄鳥, 天女
..... tsubakurame つばくらめ
..... tsubakuro つばくろ / tusbakura 乙鳥（つばくら)
Hirundo rustica
swallows in flight, hi-en, hi en 飛燕
first swallow of the season, hatsu tsubame 初燕
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... ... ... Kigo for SUMMER
tsubame no su 燕の巣 (つばめのす) nest of the swallow
..... sutsubame 巣燕（すつばめ）
Schwalbennest
swallow babies, tsubame no ko 燕の子 (つばめのこ)
baby swallow, kotsubame 子燕（こつばめ）
parent swallow, oya tsubame親燕（おやつばめ）
Summer swallow, natsu tsubame 夏燕 (なつつばめ)
..... natsu no tsubame 夏の燕（なつのつばめ）
Swallow in the rain, ame tsubame 雨燕 (あまつばめ)
..... hari-o ame tsubame 針尾雨燕（はりおあまつばめ）
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... ... ... Kigo for AUTUMN
migrating swallows, ki-en, ki en 帰燕
departing swallows, inu tsubame 去ぬ燕, いぬつばめ
swallows going back to the south, tsubame kaeru 燕帰る
remaining swallows, nokoru tsubame 残る燕
swallows of autumn, autumn swallows, shuu-en, shuu en 秋燕
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... ... ... Kigo for WINTER
swallow on its way, tooshi tubame 通し燕 (とおしつばめ)
"swallow over winter" ettoo tsubame 越冬燕（えっとうつばめ）
"swallow over the new year" otsunen tsubame
越年燕（おつねんつばめ）
"swallow left behind" nokori tsubame
残り燕（のこりつばめ）
If they build a nest under the eaves of a farmhouse in the spring, the family will be blessed throughout the year (and not only with the excrements, but with good luck …)
Gabi Greve
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.. .. .. .. .. .. .. The Barn Swallow
The popular and attractive Barn Swallow, found worldwide, is the most widespread of the swallows. In the western hemisphere, it winters in South America, but migrates northward to breed over most of North America. A round trip may cover 14,000 miles. They prefer open country, and readily nest on man-made structures. They perform an important economic function as they cruise low over lawns, fields, lakes, and ponds, consuming large numbers of flies, aphids, beetles, bees, moths, mayflies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, caterpillars and other insects.
Historically, Barn Swallow populations have suffered from competition with House Sparrows. The use of pesticides and the resulting reduction of insects has also contributed to their decline. Unusually cold weather during the nesting season also reduces the availability of insects and may lead to starvation of young and adults. Fortunately, Barn Swallows readily adapt to man's artificial structures. Their populations are doing well in many regions, but in some regions declines are still occurring.
Read a lot more interesting information about this animal
http://www.wbu.com/chipperwoods/photos/barnswallow.htm
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Europead Bird's Guide about the Swallow
Swallows are the very epitome of summer.
In Britain they are distributed throughout the whole country.
In Europe swallows breed northwards as far as the Arctic Circle. During spring successive waves leapfrog northwards over each other. In fact pioneers in southern Europe will have reared first broods to the flying stage before the last migrants pass through to reach the most northerly breeding areas in early June.
Flying, the swallow is most graceful. Its effortless twisting and turning in search of food is a delight to watch. The ceaseless flight is occasionally interrupted by a brief stall to intercept an insect which has nearly — but not quite — passed. The long tail is used to good effect to accomplish the intricate manoeuvre.
The swallow's close relation, the house martin, usually feeds at a considerably greater height than the swallow, as does the swift. In fact only during cool, wet or windy conditions will all the hirundines and the swift be found feeding together low over a broad or in the lee of woodland from which insects may be blown or where food may be sheltering.
http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/bird-guide/swallow.htm
The swallow is a beneficial bird that is found almost worldwide. There are many varieties of swallows, and they have interesting nesting and feeding habits.
The silhouette of a swallow is unmistakeable with its sharply pointed, angled wings and forked tail. They are often seen darting swiftly across the sky, catching insects in midair. According to the book "Peterson First Guides: Birds", written by Roger Tory Peterson and published in 1986 by Houghton Mifflin Company, there are seventy-five types of swallows worldwide. Eight of the seventy-five species can be found in Canada and the United States. The same article says five additional species are considered strays.
Read more:
http://arar.essortment.com/birdsswallows_rkfy.htm
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Worldwide use
England
Last week in the south of England, another look at the swallows in transit, the "local" swallows having already left. Swallows are definitely (for me at least) a kigo for the European spring (arrival) and the European autumn (departure).
Dewy grey morning,
swallows whirling and feeding --
-- passing in transit.
Isabelle Prondzynski
Autumn 2004
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Kenya
But of course, their disappearance from Europe brings about their re-appearance in Africa. I have seen them in the highlands of Kenya, far from Nairobi, enjoying themselves, living it up during the European winter months. My mother (in Ireland) wonders what the people must think about such birds, which turn up and make merry, then disappear for many months of the year...
Schwalbe, in Kenya
baust du kein Nest, tanzt du nur --
was meint man von dir?
Swallow, in Kenya,
you build no nest, only dance --
then, you fly away...
Isabelle Prondzynski
Autumn 2004
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Things found on the way
Oscar Wilde's lovely story "The Happy Prince"
One of the two principal characters of the story is the little swallow, late for its return to Egypt for the winter. It takes only about 20 minutes to read.
Highly recommended by Isabelle Prondzynski!
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/902
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Swallows and their Problems with the Human
FLYING IN THE FACE OF HYPOCRISY
Educative Article by C.W. NICOL, 2005
Swallows by Nicol
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Willow and Swallow pattern in Chinese Art
quote
In Chinese art it is customary to show birds in the environment in which they belong: a particular bird is invariably drawn with a particular flower or tree...
Thus the combination in a landscape of the swallows that feed over streams and ponds and the willows that grow along their margins would be natural.
Every Chinese family welcomes the swallow, since it is thought to be very lucky to have a pair of these birds build a nest near a house. The swallows are usually shown in pairs, for according to the Chinese that is the "nature" of the bird.
"Two flying swallows" is a phrase symbolic of a happily married couple, and swallows have come to be emblematic of marital constancy and good luck. A good omen, the swallow appears in some of the earliest myths and legends as a symbol of fertility. It is also associated with marriage and birth rites, the longevity cult, and appears in the Chinese materia medica.
The willow is one of the most popular trees in China and is seen everywhere, clustered about houses in towns and villages or along the banks of streams and ponds. Valued for its usefulness as well as its attractiveness, the willow typifies pliancy and softness. It has special meanings for the Chinese in connection with feminine traits and attributes : a slender waist is "willowy"; arched eyebrows are "like a willow leaf."
The association of swallow and willow is a traditional one among the Chinese and has particular significance for them. A favorite subject in art and poetry, the combination of swallows and willows signifies spring. The double motif also implies the change of seasons from spring to summer, and thus alludes to the passage of time in human affairs. Together, the graceful flight of the swallow and the delicate sweep of willow branches suggest beauty and elegance. Another meaning attributed to this combination is companionship.
The swallow is gregarious and friendly, and the willow growing in the courtyard of the house seems like a close companion.
Also, in the earliest Chinese literature the swallow is used with meanings of ease and comfort; the willow with restful, tranquil feelings, shade, and an invitation to rest.'
http://www.archive.org/stream/bulletin34chic/bulletin34chic_djvu.txt
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. Kamitsubame, kami tsubame 紙つばめ paper lark .
amulet at temple Jako-In at Inuyama 寂光院 犬山
. Amulets and Talismans from Japan .
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HAIKU
naku hibari 啼く雲雀 the voice of the skylark
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .
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© Photo by Gabi Greve, In my Home in Japan
yuu-tsubame ware ni wa asu no ate wa naki
evening swallows--
no hope for tomorrow
for me
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baby swallows in the nest--
eyes glued
on the evening sky
. WKD : Kobayashi Issa 小林一茶 in Edo .
Three more haiku about the swallow by Issa
http://haikuguy.com/issa/advancedsearch.html
© Haiga by Nakamura Sakuo
http://blog.livedoor.jp/sakuo3903/
Another haiku by Issa
いつの間に乙鳥は皆巣立けり
itsu no ma ni tsubakura wa mina su-dachi keri
when did they go?
all the swallows' nests
empty
乙鳥の泥口ぬぐふぼたん哉
tsubakura no doro-guchi nuguu botan kana
the swallow wipes
his muddy mouth...
on the peony
Tr. David Lanoue
乙鳥（つばくら）や人の物いふ上になく
tsubakura ya hito no mono iuu ue ni naku
乙鳥（つばくら）tsubakura, in the dictionary is also read itchoo いっ‐ちょう, otchoo おっ‐ちょう.
tsubame can be written with four different Chinese characters :
燕, 乙鳥, 玄鳥, 天女
They all can give a haiku a slightly different meaning.
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swallow in flight
swooping to take the fly
ripple on the pond
Degasian
http://haiku.cc.ehime-u.ac.jp/~shiki/shiki.archive/html/9908/0610.html
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© By Origa, Olga Hooper
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hatsu-tsubame ... ... 初燕
yane no kazari ni ... ... 屋根の飾りに
nari ni keri ... ... なりにけり
first swallows -
my roof turned canvas
for modern art
Read the full story with photos by Gabi Greve here
My First Swallow !
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> > a straight hit
> > on a bald head -
> > swallow in passing
© Haiga by Nakamura Sakuo
ein Volltreffer
auf die Glatze -
Schwalbe im Durchflug
© Haiku by Gabi Greve
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Related words
***** Swift (Apus apus) Ireland, Europe
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BIRD SAIJIKI
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