Dear VA-BirdersIn checking our 16-box bluebird trail on campus today (Flint
Hill School, Oakton, Fairfax Co) I was saddened to find one box with 5 dead
adult tree swallows in it. Earlier in the spring I had been overjoyed to see
good numbers of this beautiful bird flying around the campus. Today there are
only about three remaining.The two most-recently-dead birds were definitely
emaciated, their keel bones (sternum) protruding and their flight muscles
greatly reduced. The others also seemed the same, but they had been dead for a
longer time so I am not sure about them. I am guessing that this cool damp
spring has grounded their aerial insect food supply. Today is the first day
this spring that the pesky gnats that fly around your eyes and face were a
nuisance. Hopefully now the remaining swallows will have enough food to
fatten up and raise some youngsters.There were three bluebird nests also
present, a little behind schedule compared to earlier years, containing 3, 4,
and 5 eggs. I am curious to find out if other bluebird trail monitors are
finding similar tree swallow deaths this year. All the best
Fred
Frederick D. Atwood
Flint Hill School, 10409 Academic Dr, Oakton, VA 22124
703-242-1675
http://www.agpix.com/fredatwood
http://www.flinthill.org
http://tea.armadaproject.org/tea_atwoodfrontpage.html
