Subject: [Tweeters] Swallow Eyes
Date: Jun 8 08:39:14 2014
From: Jeff Gibson - gibsondesign at msn.com


While married to a night owl, I tend to be a morning person. Sometimes occupations (like being a bar owner) have interfered with that at times, but these days in Port Townsend, I've been getting up early, and also sleeping with the window open.
Way back when, I used to do things like get up before dawn and note the order in which the birds started singing in the morning. I haven't done much of that in the past few years, but did remember noting in my journal, on a number of occasions, that the first bird call of the day was often the Violet-green Swallow. They are still at it, I'm happy to say - starting about 3:30 am right now here in Port Townsend, just before the Robins get started.
Oh I can hear them alright, circling above, but it's too dark to see 'em - the stars are still out ("who let the stars out!").
And that got me wondering about what the heck they are doing out there flying in the dark. Stargazing? Social time? Having sex? I don't know, but I imagine they are after bugs already, but if so, how can they see them? I'm amazed at swallows and swifts nabbing tiny tiny bugs, at speed, even in the daytime. That takes some sharp eyes, not to mention reflexes. Incredible really.
And then there's those diving eyes of grebes and ducks etc. How, on a winter day under a 20,000 ft blanket of clouds, and diving into estuary murk, can a cormorant see a fish down there? I don't know, but they catch 'em somehow. I've seen the evidence. Jeff Gibsonjust kind of wondering, inPort Townsend Wa