[obol] Barn Swallows and radar again

[Floyd Schrock]

I have been contacted again by the biologist (Bruce Cousens) in 
Nanaimo, BC, who last year discovered the mysterious cloud on the 
weather radar system that turned out to be the flock of Barn Swallows 
we have been watching here in Yamhill Co. since the late '90s.  He 
noticed the cloud again yesterday, so this evening (Aug. 25) I went 
looking for the flock.  I found them where they roosted last year --  
going down into a corn field on Grand Island south of Dayton.  The 
flock, which I'm guessing included at least 100,000 birds this 
evening, was forming at 8:00 p.m.  By 8:25 there were only a few 
hundred still circling above the field.

Bruce also sent a link to the scientific paper he prepared and 
presented at the Georgia Basin Puget Sound Research Conference last 
spring.  For those who would like to read this paper, it can be found 
at:
    <http://www.engr.washington.edu/epp/psgb/2007psgb/2007proceedings/papers/P1_couse.pdf>

Here is the information about Bruce Cousens and the "real" work he is 
involved in:
______________________________________________________
Bruce Cousens, B.Sc., M.Sc., R.P.Bio., Senior Biologist,
BC Purple Martin Stewardship & Recovery Program Coordinator,
Georgia Basin Ecological Assessment and Restoration Society
#4 - 1150 N. Terminal Ave., Unit 117, Nanaimo, BC  V9S 5L6
Phone/msg./fax:  (250) 758-2922; E-mail:  pmartins at island.net
______________________________________________________

For anyone wanting to watch the evening flock activity, you can find 
the location by driving north from Salem (west of the river) on 
Wallace Rd. (Hwy. 221) toward Dayton about 15 miles.  At Unionvale, 
turn right (east) on Grand Island Rd.  After crossing the bridge onto 
the island, continue about a mile to the first 4-way intersection. 
Turn left (north) on Lower Island Rd. and drive north about a mile and 
a half to a wide gravel parking lot on the right.  (The white mailbox 
on the left is numbered 13395.)  Unfortunately, the flock is a few 
hundred yards away toward the darkening sky to the east, but with 
binoculars it is possible to get a good view of the swirling cloud of 
swallows as they gradually concentrate in one area, and then plunge 
into the standing corn.  The corn itself is hidden by a row of trees, 
but most of the action is still visible above them.

This evening I did not hear any other swallow species mixed in with 
the Barns, but across the road to the west a flock of about 200 Vaux's 
Swifts was going to roost in a house chimney at the same time.  It was 
quiet an entertaining half hour.

I have also placed a link to short video clip (actually a .gif) of the 
morning fly-out yesterday at http://empids.blogspot.com/.

========================
Floyd Schrock
McMinnville, Oregon  U.S.A.
http://empids.blogspot.com/
========================