[SBB] Swift & Swallow Show in the wind
- Subject: [SBB] Swift & Swallow Show in the wind
- From: Kris Olson <[[email protected]]>
- Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2006 14:03:17 -0800 (PST)
- Delivery-date: Tue, 07 Mar 2006 17:13:17 -0500
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Hi all,
After lunch at Ming's in Palo Alto, I drove by the 2
ponds south of there (called A and B something -
overflow?). Walking carefully through the goose poop
and mud, I got part way down the first ponds and wow!
encountered a large and very active flock of swifts
and swallows cavorting (or more likely feeding) over
the ponds.
There were at least 30 WHITE-THROATED SWIFTS and
swallows of most, if not all (did not identify Tree,
but could easily be there), local persuasions: BARN,
VIOLET-GREEN and NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED. The flock
would swoop back and forth across the trail (north to
south), while moving east to west along the trail,
often very low-- it almost seemed as if I could touch
them. All along my tip-toeing walk to the end of the
trail, the swifts and swallows continued - getting to
the west end of the trail and returning. I came to
look for teal, but could not keep my eyes off the
close swifts. I could see stiff tail bristles. There
were more swallows feeding very low over the northern
ponds-- you could see rusty, white and brown bellies
as they turned.
Also out and about in the wind were a male NORTHERN
HARRIER and a WHITE-TAILED KITE.
Ducks were few and far between in these ponds -- 2
Shovelers, 4 Mallards flew in, 2 Coots, 1 Pied-billed
Grebe, a few Ruddies, 1 Common Goldeneye, a few
Buffleheads. My memory is that these ponds held
numerous ducks in years past, including elusive
Blue-winged and Cinnamon Teal. Of course, what duck in
its right mind would emerge from protective reeds to
high winds and rushing waves?
All along the trail was a very active and continuous
chorus of MARSH WRENS.
And I made it back to work with nary a tell-tail mud
stain!
Go enjoy the swift show!
Kris Olson
good birding
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