I and the Bird, the wonderful biweekly collection of the best that the many birding blogs have to offer, is celebrating its second anniversary.

Congratulations to Mike and my fellow avian aficionados who've made this birding carnival such a success.

Unfortunately, the hubby and I have been too busy, and it's getting a bit too hot here in Central Texas, to do much birding. Plus, we had that horrible rainy spell. So I don't have an entry in this momentous edition.

But I am very thankful that through it, I can cyberbird.

The hubby and I also are grateful that this time of year, some birds actually come to us. (Do they call it peopling?)

When the swallows come back to Austin: I am delighted to report that we continue to be graced by the presence of our own personal cadre of avian fighter pilots, aka the barn swallows that use the carport extension of our garages as their hangar.

This isn't the greatest picture. Most flew away when we came outside and to ensure these five bravest weren't spooked also, we had to shoot from a ways away. But you get the idea.

These acrobatic birds greeted us when we moved into our house in July 2005, lined up along the garage framing as we pulled into our new driveway. We were afraid then that our arrival would scare them away, since the previous human inhabitants had left months before we arrived and the swallows were used to having the place all to themselves.

But while they obviously weren't pleased that we insisted on going into the garage, neither were they so upset that they left. In fact, these days they flutter around just outside the open doors waiting for them to close. This has happened every spring into summer, as recounted in this May 2006 blog item.

Until -- and even after -- the hubby and I can make time for a birding expedition outside our neighborhood, they'll do just fine. As will the anniversary edition of I and the Bird, to tide us over, too.