next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
previous message in thread
Index of Subjects
Index of Subjects This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --Boundary_(ID_ycLCAzbHOfhU0135UphHQA) Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Roland wrote: =20 "Mention has been made of the decline in the number of chimney swifts in = recent years. I wonder if this has anything to do with fewer large = chimneys being built these days, and the destruction of many of the old = ones. I also wonder how the swallows would compare in numbers. I can = remember that seventy years ago it was not unusual to see flocks of = fifty or more swallows on the electric light wires, something that is = lacking now. I also remenber when I came to Barrington 45 years ago we = always had a flock of sparrows below the dridge on the river. I haven't = seen a swallow this year." =20 The entire group of birds that catch insects while flying is declining = in number in Canada. Your observation of the disappearance of swallows = from power lines has been seen across eastern Canada. Where once tens = and hundreds of swallows were seen gathering on lines throughout rural = areas now there are often none or, at most, single families of birds. = The current theory for the decline is simple, not enough insects around = to feed the young. Ironically the species that many people in North = America have looked down on for a long time, the House Sparrow, is = becoming the poster 'child' illustrating the problem. While still = locally common, House Sparrow numbers have greatly declined even over = the last five years.=20 =20 Regarding Chimney Swifts, the overall number of large chimneys may be = down but I believe it is the change in the construction of regular = chimneys which is having the biggest impact. Capping a chimney or = inserting liners removes a chimney as a possible nesting site (while = they roost communally, Chimney Swifts are solitary nesters, one to a = chimney). Away from humans this type of nesting site would have been = provided by hollow trees. I'm sure Jim Wolford can fill in the gaps in = the Chimney Swift's life history in NS that I've not filled in. =20 All the best, =20 Lance =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=20 Lance Laviolette=20 Glen Robertson, Ontario=20 lance.laviolette@lmco.com <mailto:lance.laviolette@lmco.com> =20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=20 P Before printing think about your responsibility & commitment to the = Environment!=20 P Merci de penser =E0 l'environnement avant d'imprimer ce courriel!=20 =20 =20 =20 =20 --Boundary_(ID_ycLCAzbHOfhU0135UphHQA) Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 8.00.6001.18702"> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial>Roland wrote:</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial><FONT color=3D#0000ff><FONT size=3D2><SPAN=20 class=3D217514013-29052009>"</SPAN>Mention has been made of the decline = in the=20 number of chimney swifts in recent years. I wonder if this has anything = to do=20 with fewer large chimneys being built these days, and the destruction of = many of=20 the old ones. I also wonder how the swallows would compare in = numbers. I=20 can remember that seventy years ago it was not unusual to see flocks of = fifty or=20 more swallows on the electric light wires, something that is lacking = now. I also=20 remenber when I came to Barrington 45 years ago we always had a flock of = sparrows below the dridge on the river. I haven't seen a swallow this = year.<SPAN=20 class=3D217514013-29052009>"</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV></SPAN></DI= V> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial>The entire group of birds that catch insects while = flying is=20 declining in number in Canada. Your observation of the = disappearance of=20 swallows from power lines has been seen across eastern Canada. Where = once tens=20 and hundreds of swallows were seen gathering on lines throughout rural = areas now=20 there are often none or, at most, single families of birds. The current = theory=20 for the decline is simple, not enough insects around to feed the young.=20 Ironically the species that many people in North America have looked = down on for=20 a long time, the House Sparrow, is becoming the poster 'child' = illustrating the=20 problem. While still locally common, House Sparrow numbers have greatly = declined=20 even over the last five years. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial>Regarding Chimney Swifts, the overall number of = large chimneys=20 may be down but I believe it is the change in the construction of = regular=20 chimneys which is having the biggest impact. Capping a chimney or = inserting=20 liners removes a chimney as a possible nesting site (while they roost=20 communally, Chimney Swifts are solitary nesters, one to a chimney). Away = from=20 humans this type of nesting site would have been provided by hollow = trees. I'm=20 sure Jim Wolford can fill in the gaps in the Chimney Swift's life = history=20 in NS that I've not filled in.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=3D217514013-29052009><FONT = color=3D#0000ff=20 size=3D2 face=3DArial>All the best,</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><SPAN class=