Tweets,

I was out on Spencer Island for the dusk tonight (about 7:50
- 8 PM) and saw the largest flock of swallows I have ever
seen. It rivaled the largest flocks of other birds I have
ever seen and must have been several tens of thousands. As
they circled around it seemed the flock spanned the width of
the island. I was on the cross dike and looking north. The
swallows were too distant and it was a bit dark to get sure
ID but some if not most were barn swallows. It was amazing
to watch in the binoculars a thousand or more birds across
the field of view.

As I was leaving the island a Great Horned Owl was sitting
on the "No Hunting" sign near the trail, however I think what
it was doing fit the legal definition of hunting, as it was
pretty intent on looking at the ground near the post, a la
red tail hawk style. Eventually it flew off, completely
silently, and took up post on the roof of the barn.

Ed Schulz
Everett, WA
email: eschulz at gte.net
phone: 425-259-6877