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Re: C & O Canal, under Saturday's sky

From:

Frank Powers

Reply-To:

Maryland Birds & Birding

Date:

Mon, 14 Jun 2004 09:39:26 -0400

>   Since Bank Swallows are not known to nest in that part of the state, any
idea on where they were coming from?<

Bob,

Good question.

The report that Norm and Fran Saunders wrote on Bank Swallows for the '96
edition of the "Atlas o fthe Breeding Birds of Maryland and the District of
Columbia" notes that two breeding colonies on the Potomac in Washington
County were identifeid by Stewart and Robbins nearly 50 years ago.  If those
nest colonies still exist, they could be a possible source, assuming that
post-breeding dispersal has begun.

Even if dispersal has not yet begun, they indicate that Bank Swallows
"forage great distances from [their] colonies" making it hard to tell
exactly where the nesting colonies are located.  They also note reports of
colonies in central Allegany County as well, but I don't know if they were
on the Potomac or not.  And how far away is the Gunpowder River in Baltimore
County, another "new" colony identified by Stewart/Robbins(1958).

It may be also be possible that other nest sites have been established since
publication of Norm and Fran's report, given their suggestion that
development had caused, and is causing, Bank Swallows to move their colonies
from the Chesapeake shoreline to tidal rivers, gravel pits and other more
inland sites.

It could also be simply that this is an unusal year, given the ciccadas.

I would be interested in anyone else's experience with Swallows in general
this year.  For instance, on Saturday the 5th, I saw several Cliff Swallows
among the literally dozens of swallows and Chimney Swifts at Little Falls
dam (Barn, Tree and Northern Rough-winged were also present).  First, never
had I seen so many swallows.  Second, I had never seen Cliff Swallows there,
nor have I seen them since on two trips back (including Sunday, the 6th,
just the day after).

Since the ciccada invasion, it seems to me (I haven't kept my records from
this year current, so this is just an impression) that the numbers of
swallows have increased enormously along the areas of the Potomac that I've
visited regularly over the last 4 years.  However, having said that, I
haven't seen very many Purple Martins this year.

Anyone with "swallow-observations" that could shed light on Bob's question,
or the general subject of Swallows this year, please chime in.

Frank Powers
Glen Echo, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Ringler <>
To:  <>
Date: Monday, June 14, 2004 7:38 AM
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] C & O Canal, under Saturday's sky


>Frank,
>   Since Bank Swallows are not known to nest in that part of the state, any
idea on where they were coming from?
>
>>
>> 2 adult Bank Swallows, making buzzy sounds, took their catches to a
fallen tree in the channel opposite the Double-crested Cormorant rookery
where they beak-fed 2 juveniles.
>
>Bob Ringler
>Eldersburg MD
>