Hi Tweets,

Maureen Ellis writes:

>One of the reasons for the apparent seriousness of our local swallow
>reports is that there has been a noted swallow decline all along the West
>Coast, especially for Barn swallows (recent Audubon Society publication).
>Some of us who monitor the same colonies year after year, actually
>counting active nests, have also seen a decline.
(snip)

In the light of this, there's this ominous little post from UKbirdnet:

(slightly edited)
>The RSPB has received reports that House Martins have failed to return from
>their African wintering grounds in their normal numbers.
>
>As such the RSPB has just launched an emergency response to this situation in
>the form of a national survey.
>
>If you are interested in really helping conservation monitoring please email
>me direct and i will dispatch the simple pre-paid form immediately.
>
>On behalf of the RSPB many thanks for your help.
>
>
>
>
>Mark Thomas
>RSPB Web-site :http:\\www.rspb.org.uk
>+----------------------------------------------

This may be just a nasty coincidence, or it may show there's a wider problem.

Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery, and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)