Tweets,

I feel the same way I felt when my son left for college. The family of five
Barn Swallows inhabiting my carport have failed to turn up for the past two
nights. No cheerfull fledgling conversation, no spots on the hood of the
car, life is a little more empty now. I had gotten used to their daily
return from training flights, sitting, wobbly-footed on the phone line.
Their increasingly skilled and graceful forays through the trees no longer
thrills. Sigh.... Well, it was heck of lot of fun watching them and we're
cheered by the knowledge that some or all of them and their mates will be
back next Spring to continue soiling the station wagon. Some of best birding
times happen close to home.

Mike Waller
WP ZOO