Sidney Swallow-palooza

[Julia Hanauer-Milne]

We have a sky full of swallows. I spent a fine hour watching 8-10 barn swallows swirl over our yard and the surrounding field this evening. It seems like their numbers are up from the last few years when there have been only two pairs. They nest down the road in my neighbor's barn, but come up daily to hunt over the fields here. They landed often in my recently turned garden bed--could not figure out exactly what they were after there. Bugs? Dust bath? Calcium from egg shells that were in the compost?

We also have three--possibly four--pairs of tree swallows nesting in our boxes, so when they are also flying it seems like the airspace is fully occupied. The bluebirds may be picking a fight with the tree swallows over one of the boxes, but they don't seem all that determined. 

Add to that the four male bobolinks singing and displaying over the field and it's a joyful cacophany. We also have our resident yellow and common yellow throated warblers, plus Baltimore orioles that seem to be hanging around. 

Hoping for full dawn and evening choruses soon with all the resident birds (veeries, thrushes) in place. 

Julia

[Julia Hanauer-Milne]

Six common nighthawks just zoomed over. Busy airspace tonight.

[Sean Hatch]

I just had several at Harrison Ave. Nature Trail soar high over the dam. Still plenty of Bay-breasted Warblers there too.