Rick Howie wrote:

"I work as a habitat biologist for the province of BC. Here, as elsewhere,
Cliff & Barn Swallows nest under highway bridges & overpasses. Our agency
had to negotiate a special bridge cleaning protocol with the Department of
Highways who were constantly blasting the nests from the structures during
the breeding season, despite the obvious contravention of the International
Migratory Birds Convention Act and our local Wildlife Act."

I had been meaning to bring this up. There is an overpass at milepost 143
(I think that's right) on I-90, the turnoff to Silica Road between Vantage
and George, WA. It used to support a thriving colony of Cliff Swallows,
but this summer when we drove under it we saw nary a nest, and there is
little doubt that the highway department cleaned it out. I presume they do
this in many other such situations, as Rick mentioned. I don't know if
anyone reading this has any connections to that department or to other
state departments that might wish to become involved in this (surely WDFW
should have something to say about it), but it seems a real shame to have
such activity going on as a routine program, when I can't imagine the
swallows represent any sort of hazard or detrimental factor. I assume they
do it outside the nesting season - at least I hope so.

Dennis Paulson, Director phone 253-879-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax 253-879-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail dpaulson at ups.edu
1500 N. Warner, #1088
Tacoma, WA 98416-1088
http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/museum.html