This is a breeding scene of the beautiful, melodious long-tailed flycatcher. In Korea, they are summer visitors, nesting in mountain valleys where flying insects and mosquitoes abound. They feed their chicks with various insects such as robber flies, cicadas, and moths, and after the young fledge, they train them higher up in the valley before migrating south.
In this photograph, the father bird, with moth dust on his head from the hunt, is delivering food to his chick β a tender moment of devotion.
Every time I photograph them, I am deeply moved. Though these wild birds have no contact with humans, their way of life and the love they show for their young is truly touching.
I hope these chicks grow well and return to Korea in great numbers. And I wish that more people will have the chance to see them. May good fortune always follow the young birds.
