Hi Tweets,

On the contrary, I think at this time we have to
assume that most of these birds DID migrate. The lack
of reports in many areas from October through late
December followed by the sudden rash of reports in
late December and early November indicates that these
birds were not present before. I sincerely doubt that
the birds were present all along and never reported by
anyone until January. A similiar phenomenon occured
last winter here as well as in British Columbia and
Oregon. If you recall, the first part of the winter
recieved no Barn Swallow reports and then in late
December and early January there were reports of small
groups followed by larger numbers later on in the
winter. This is the same pattern that we are seeing
this winter.

In short, I think given the lack of reports until late
December followed by the sudden spate of them is not
due to lack of coverage or observer effort, but indeed
reflects the likely-hood that these birds migrated
back north several months early rather than never
leaving at all.

Michael Dossett
Bothell, WA
phainopepla at yahoo.com

--- Blake Iverson <coopershwk at hotmail.com> wrote:
> These birds probably didn't migrate, they just
> stayed the winter here.
>
> Blake Iverson
> Arlington, WA
> coopershwk at hotmail.com
>
>
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