Doug,

I believe Black Swifts routinely forage many miles from their nest sites,
perhaps up to 100 miles or more, so sightings of foraging flocks don't
necessarily imply that they are nesting anywhere nearby.

Gene Hunn
18476 47th Pl NE
Lake Forest Park
enhunn323 at comcast.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas Canning" <dcanning at zhonka.net>
To: "Larry Schwitters" <lpatters at ix.netcom.com>
Cc: <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 12:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Black Swift status in Thurston County?


> Hi Larry -
>
> Thanks for replying; yours was the only response I received.
>
> Since I posted my query to Tweeters, I've found my copy of Ken Knittle's
> latest Washington Birder checklist for Thurston County (2004). He
> indicates Black Swift on the list, but as "Rare" (5+ records).
>
> While Black Swift nesting is associated mostly with waterfalls, that's
> apparently not essential; nesting has also been documented on moist or wet
> cliffs with seeps running down their face (Bent, 1940). In addition to
> Tumwater Falls in Tumwater, there is at least one waterfall in the Black
> Hills of western Thurston County. There is also at least one waterfall in
> the Doty Hills (Lewis County) 30 miles SW of Olympia. Closer to where I
> live (6 miles SW of Olympia) there are a few quarries in an outlier of the
> Black Hills (3 miles north of me), where the there could be attractive
> Black Swift nesting habitat if there are any seeps on the face of the
> quarry "cliffs."
>
> My first sighting of a Black Swift at my place was on the morning of 25
> July 2004 when I saw what I decided was a male by its slight notched tail,
> fly-catching well above tree-top height. The light that day was good: 0%
> cloud cover.
>
> The recent sighting on the morning of 10 August, over about an hour, with
> Vaux's Swift and at least one Barn Swallow also present at times for size
> comparison, and all of them fly-catching above tree-top height. There's a
> clear distinction in size between the Black Swift and the Vaux's and Barn.
> On the other hand the light was not all that good; the sky was overcast
> and the light level rather low.
>
> I regard these as "good" sightings, but lacking confirmation, not good
> enough to be "records."
>
> I suppose I should check out Tumwater Falls sometime. I haven't been there
> since maybe the late 1970s.
>
> Doug
>
> On 10 Aug 2005, Larry Schwitters wrote:
>
>> Hi Doug,
>>
>> A little over a month ago I sent this out.
>> ***************************************************
>> From: Larry Schwitters <lpatters at ix.netcom.com>
>> Date: Sun Jul 3, 2005 9:02:39 PM US/Pacific
>> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
>> Subject: Are there any Black Swifts in Olympia?
>>
>> Tweeters,
>>
>> I keep looking for possible waterfalls that Black Swifts could nest
>> behind. Yesterday, on our way to the Olympic Peninsula we made our
>> first ever stop at the old Olympia Brewing site. This is a nice park.
>> Tumwater Falls has a lot going for it as a possible Black Swift nesting
>> site. OK, it also has a few things going against it.
>>
>> Has anyone in Tweeter land witnessed a Black Swift in/over Olympia?
>>
>> Larry Schwitters
>> Issaquah
>> ***********************
>>
>> I didn't have any responses. As far ranging as these birds are, there is
>> no reason why they could not show up there, but the most detailed map
>> I've
>> seen of the Black Swift breeding range shows that they are not in Western
>> Thurston.
>>
>> I'm not yet to the point where I can immediately tell a Vaux's from a
>> Black.
>>
>> Don't suppose I could talk you into spending a dusk at Tumwater Falls?
>>
>> Larry
>>
>> On Wednesday, August 10, 2005, at 08:15 AM, Douglas Canning wrote:
>>
>> > Greetings -
>> >
>> > Can anyone tell me of the status of the Black Swift in western Thurston
>> > County? I pretty nearly have myself convinced that between 0700 and
>> > 0800
>> > I was seeing up to 10 of them flycatching somewhat above tree-top
>> > height.
>> > The appearance and flight characteristics seemed to be 'right.'
>> >
>> > Doug
>> >
>> > *****************************
>> > Douglas Canning
>> > Olympia, Washington
>> > dcanning at zhonka.net
>> > *****************************
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Tweeters mailing list
>> > Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>> > http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters
>> >
> *****************************
> Douglas Canning
> Olympia, Washington
> dcanning at zhonka.net
> *****************************
>
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