Hi Tweets,
Thanks to Andrea Garcia for bringing up the issue of Violet Green Swallow and Purple Finch populations.
I believe we are witnessing as we speak a decline of 3 species of swallows (Barn, VG, and maybe Cliff) of very serious proportions. I have no written data and I'm very aware that people with strong convictions and no data can be dangerous, but I have lived in the same house on Beacon Hill for 18 years and have the swallow families on the hill along my commute generally plotted out in my mind. Most are now gone, over the last 2 to five years. Also, I have done fairs in places like Bellevue Square at the same time each year for 19 years and noted an eventual decline to zero in Barn Swallow sightings. Ditto for Violet Green Swallows during the breeding season at the Pike Place Market.
We lost the Common Nighthawk very fast, and in my opinion we are going to lose the upland residential portion of the Barn Swallow population completely, and we have already lost much of the Violet Green Swallow population. I personally don't think it has anything to do with what is called habitat destruction because these habitats have already gone throught that. I would be beside myself with the surprise if the Crow wasn't the--or one of the--big factors in killing off the Nighthawk, but in the case of swallows, it seems like a lot just aren't returning in the spring.
I wish someone could tell me.
(As for the Purple Finch, that bird is being crucified on a cross of sunflower seeds).
--Ed Newbold (Kevin Li, Kris Baker, Delia and I watched a 2 Robins, 2 Towhees, a Western Wood Pewee and a Downy Woodpecker scold what turned out to be a Long Tailed Weasel at Scatter Creek Natural area by Little Rock, S of Olympia, last Sunday).--Beacon Hill, Seattle, newboldwildlife at netscape.net



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