Greetings...
I just got in from witnessing the most impressive swallow swarm that I've
ever seen, including big swallow days at Cape May. There was a cloud of
birds swarming over a cornfield that I was standing next to that my best
estimate was about 150,000 birds, done by "gridding" the swarm. Best I could
tell was the flock was 250 birds high by 600 birds long. By no means is this
accurate, but it's about the best I could do.
What blew my mind most was watching them break off into big chunks, swarm,
and then dive straight into the cornfield, as if they were going to hit the
ground. It was very similar to watching swifts enter a chimney, but on a
wider front. More like big hail stones crashing into the corn. Eventually
every bird did this until they were all gone. There are at least a hundred
thousand swallows spending tonight in a ten acre or so field just down the
road. As for diversity, I would say 85% were Tree, 14% were Barn, and the
rest were Rough-winged, Cliff, and Bank; I only saw singles of the latter
two, but it was nearing dark.
I'm guessing they'll get moving again at daybreak, so I don't suppose anyone
will head out to see them. Still, this field is just south of Route 802,
just over the county line of Fauquier/Culpeper on the Rappahannock River. The
field is bordered on the east by the river, the north by 802, and the west by
a road named Myers Mill Road.
Cheers...
Todd
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Todd M. Day
Jeffersonton, VA
Culpeper County
BlkVulture@xxxxxxx
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