Kelly,

I leave the house in my Green Lake neighborhood between 4:30 and 5 am
every weekday morning. For the last couple of summers I too have heard a
bird flying and calling at that time of day. I've been away for six
weeks and was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by them again for the
first time this week on Monday. I don't know how long they've been here
but I don't recall hearing them before I left Seattle on May 1.

I've always assumed they were violet-green swallows but have never had
the time to try to confirm that since I'm on my way to work. Probably
wouldn't be able to find them in the dim light with my binoculars anyway.
But now that you've posed the question I might get up early on Sat to
get an answer. They are still active at 5am.

Ileen
Seattle, WA
duncanweber at seanet.com

>In the very early morning hours, I sometimes hear a mystery bird singing
>in my NE Seattle neighborhood. ("Sometimes" because I'm usually asleep
>then.) It stops singing about the time the Robins get into full gear,
>about 4 AM, and I never hear anything like it during the day. I heard it
>last year during the summer, too.
>
>It's a nearly continuous string of twangy, short notes. Some notes sound
>like those of a Violet-green Swallow, but all the VGSW I hear during the
>day "sing" mostly single notes. It is kind of chittery, like a swallow,
>and seems to be constantly moving. But what would a swallow be doing up
>when all the bugs are too cold to fly? It's not a Nighthawk; I know what
>they sound like.
>
>I know it's a long shot, but does anyone know what it could be?