[This picture is from 2012, when I lived in central Texas.]

My purple martin colony in the morning, just before the sun crests over the neighbor's roof. The martins, being very social, like to gather together in the mornings to sun themselves and discuss their plans for the day. This is when they're at the peak of their "dawnsong," and social activity is at its maximum.

They'll all gather together again as the sun sets, though they typically won't be as vocal as in the mornings.

The dark birds are the adult males (they're actually a kind of metallic purple in color). Those with the clearly delineated pale underbelly are the adult females. The smaller birds with the pale underbelly are this year's new fledges.

Taken with a Panasonic DMC-FH25 point-and-shoot camera (through the back window of my house).