Posts Tagged ‘Swallows’
Artist Biography
"Jewel of Nature"
"Pastel Cat"
An accomplished artist, author and public speaker, Monique Rea received her Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Laguna College of Art and Design. Monique resides in San Juan Capistrano, California with her husband, Charles, two cats, Brio & Catarina, a Coctatiel, Professor Higgins and Mustang horse, Hawk.
She authored and illustrated the children’s book “The Original Story of Toulouse the Moose and His Friends.” Her second children’s storybook, “Toulouse the Moose and the Mystery Guests” will be available soon. Monique illustrated a children’s educational publication “Visiting the Past” and the video jacket of Huel Howser’s “Swallows of Mission San Juan Capistrano.” The Capistrano Dispatch newspaper features her comic strip “The Adventures of Toulouse the Moose.” Monique illustrated and produced a coloring book “Faces from the Past” for the Mission San Juan Capistrano Living History Society. In addition, she designed the Mission San Juan Capistrano’s Christmas card and Swallows’ Day Festival event publications, which included artwork, posters and T-shirts. She and her husband were elected the dignitaries Senor and Ms San Juan for the celebration of the 50th Year of the Swallows’ Day Parade of San Juan Capistrano. Monique was honored to be named Woman of the Year by the San Juan Capistrano Chamber of Commerce 2011.
Monique’s love of nature and whimsy can be found in her artwork, primarily painting, drawing and writing. She expresses her love of animals and appreciation of their special place on earth through her art. Her hummingbird & swallow artwork is inspired through her dedicated work as a hummingbird & swallow rescuer.
She has exhibited at the San Clemente Art Gallery and been commissioned for artwork.
Check out Monique’s SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS.
Discover, Listen & Dream
Monique F. Rea
Swallows
Swallows – 8 species in 6 genera
Bahama, Bank, Barn, Cave, Cliff, Northern Rough-winged, Tree,
Violet Green
Cliff – buff & rust rump w/drk rust brown throat, wht spotted forehead
Northern-Rough-winged – grayish brown, light under side
The two most prevalent in San Juan Capistrano are the Cliff and Northern Rough-winged.
HISTORICAL POINTS
Past 100 to 150 years the swallows have extended their range across the North America as far as Alaska to the north and to the Eastern coast in part due to the development of bridges and buildings. They provide nesting sites.
In 1776 in Utah a Spaniard, Silvestre Velez de Escalante observed the Cliff Swallow. The Cliff Swallow was one of the first North American birds to be described.
Spring Migration: moving North from South America. First arrive in Southern California early February. Recorded on February 24, 1994 a continuous flock of swallows of 150 birds/min.
Fall Migration: generally peak time is in August and September back to So. America. There is little information of the migratory behavior.
Food: flying insects
Cliff Swallows prefer nesting in colonies but can have a single nest sight. Their tail is squared off compared to a Barn Swallow who has a distinctive forked tail (refer to my illustrations on Swallows). Numbers can range from 200-400 nests and a site in Nebraska recorded 3700. Courtship occurs soon after arrival and they visit nest sites future and/or existing. Once paired up begin next building. Both male and female help to build the mud gourd shaped nest. They gather mud in their bills along streams or new housing tracks.
A pair can bring 44 mud pellets in a 30 min period. Approx. 7 days to build a complete nest.
Number of Eggs 4-5, incubation 14 –16 days. Both parents tend to eggs and young.
The Cliff Swallow has the distinctive gourd shaped nest made of hundreds of mud pellets.
Cliff Swallows (five)
- “Swallows Perched”
Monique F. Rea Copyright 2010
Scratch board and ink medium. Subjects were from my photo of Ciff Swallows that were being rehabbed.
I have posted a tribute to a Cliff Swallow under the category; Interesting Bird Notes - “Swallows” or “Tribute to Swallows”