Bob et al.,
It's definitely weather related. Black Swifts are known to move to
lowlands to forage when the weather is not good in the mountains, and they
also often fly so high on clear days that they are very difficult to
detect. The concentration over north Seattle today seems likely due to a
large swarm of flying insects, as it was apparently pretty localized. I
live just a few miles south of these reports, and saw 0 swifts despite
scanning the sky in every direction multiple times while others were
seeing them.
Regarding the high counts, those eBird numbers you listed are incorrect - I
suspect they're based on the buggy / confusing "High Counts" interface in
eBird. If you go to Explore a Region, then select High Counts, you'll get
more reliable results. Washington has a previous count of 500 Black Swifts
in eBird (here <
https://ebird.org/checklist/S11801210>), as well as a
report of 150 from earlier this year (here
<
https://ebird.org/checklist/S70247604>).
Black Swifts are amazing and enigmatic birds. It's always a thrill to see
them.
Good birding,
Matt Dufort
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 11:00 PM Robert O'Brien <
baro at pdx.edu> wrote:
>
>
Wow. Is this somehow weather related? I know it is stormy these days
>
in Seattle,
>
>
*but has it been raining today/this afternoon? How much? When?*
>
>
>
>
The highest eBird counts are below. (There may be higher, just not in
>
eBird)
>
>
>
>
Bob OBrien Portland
>
>
>
>
The highest Washington count on eBird is:
>
>
>
>
Black Swift
>
>
20
>
>
Paul Mackenzie
>
>
Lighthouse Marine Park, Point Roberts (map
>
<http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=48.9722422,-123.0836705&ll=48.9722422,-123.0836705>
>
)
>
>
Jul 21, 1963
>
>
>
>
For Oregon, only in northbound migration since there is very very little
>
nesting, the highest is
>
>
>
>
Black Swift
>
>
272
>
>
Don Henise
>
>
Bullards Beach SP (map
>
<http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=43.1497598,-124.4026532&ll=43.1497598,-124.4026532>
>
)
>
>
May 23, 2020
>
>
>
>
However, British Columbia (where they mostly nest) beats them all
>
>
>
>
Black Swift
>
>
700
>
>
Jason Straka
>
>
Rod & Gun--Parksville (map
>
<http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=p&z=13&q=49.3198054,-124.3137278&ll=49.3198054,-124.3137278>
>
)
>
>
Jun 7, 2018
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 8:23 PM Dave Slager <dave.slager at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
There are at least a dozen hanging out over my yard right now as well in
>>
NE Seattle. Look up!
>>
>>
Dave
>>
>>
On Mon, Jun 15, 2020 at 7:57 PM Ryan Merrill <rjm284 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
There are currently over 400 Black Swifts swirling above Greenwood Ave N
>>>
and N 127th St in northwest Seattle! Also just a few individual VG Swallows.
>>>
>>>
Ryan
>>>
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>>
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>>
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>>
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