Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Violet-green Swallows fledgling here at UI

The VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOWS nesting outside my office window here at the UI are fledging. At least one of 2 young is making forays outside the
nest box (which is wedged under a window air conditioner unit). This
is one pair of a small colony of VG Swallows that nests every year on
the east side of my building. The window ledges, nooks and crannies,
and 3-4 story height make a very passable immitation of the cliff/rock
outcrop habitats that this species often uses in more natural setting.
Based on past years experience, these birds will leave very quickly
once all the young in the group are fledgled. This is often by early
July so I would not be surprised if they are gone by the time I return
from a short 4th of July vacation. From here I presume they move on to
some summer congregating area to feed and fatten up before they
actually migrate later in the summer.

Also at our MAPS station on 6/24 east of Moscow, we banded our first
fledgling Song Sparrows and Dark-eyed Juncos. We also had a family of
5 Black-capped Chickadees fly into one of our nets which as other
banders may relate is somewhat of a nightmare (chickadees can be
difficult to get out of the nets).

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