I was recently at the small opal-mining town of White Cliffs, in central New South Wales. Two Welcome Swallows perched on an old tin drum, which was serving to warn people about an open mine shaft:

Common name: Welcome Swallow
Scientific name: Hirundo neoxena
Approximate length: 14-15 cm
Date spotted: 19 May 2024 (autumn)
Location: White Cliffs, New South Wales, Australia: 30°50’13.9″S 143°05’24.2″E

This photo shows more of the landscape surrounding the birds. The white mounds are earth take up from underground, in search of opals:

If you’d like to see more of the town and surrounds, take a peek at my bookmark’s blog post: White Cliffs opal mines and underground motel.