Tweeters,

When Bob Altman passed on what he considered a reliable report of
nesting Black Swifts at Palouse Falls we knew we would have to scramble
the Mini SUV out to the Palouse to check it out. This is way out of
their known breeding range, and a long ways from mountains and forests
and glaciers and such. But you never know until you know.

The waterfall is in one over used word, awesome, but is columnar
basalt, which I've come to believe usually doesn't work out as a Black
Swift nesting site. Then there is the matter of getting down to the
base of the waterfall so you have a sky background for the late
returning birds. This looks closer to impossible than difficult, and
then one needs to get out in the dark. I'm sure not going down there.

The state owned overlook would prove to be good enough. The swifts
fell from the sky in three waves, thirty minutes apart. They swooped
down into the canyon and took turns stuffing themselves into six small
cracks in the north amphitheater wall. By the time the sun touched
the wheat stubble horizon the final count stood at 176 individuals.

This phenomenon would be big time ornithological news were it not for
one small detail. All these swifts had white throats.

Larry Schwitters
Issaquah
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