In Yosemite National Park there is a high point above the Valley called
Clouds Rest. One July day I was up there basking in the view and a volley
of swifts went zooming past at incredible speed, riding the updrafts coming
over the rock up the valley wall. They were only 4-5 feet over the top of
the rock. I thought to myself, damn, if one of those hit me it would be
like a bullet. A few minutes later, there was a scream from behind me and a
hiker was on the ground. She had stood up suddenly and one of the swifts
smacking full speed into her. Fortunately for her, it hit her daypack but
the force was enough to knock her off her feet. The swift, was very dead
and had sort of exploded goo all over her back which freaked her out more
than getting knocked down did. I reported the incident to resource
management, it was the first they had ever heard of.

Rob Sandelin
Naturalist, Writer, Teacher
And former park ranger
Snohomish County