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Hi Marg=2C
=20
I saw a similar swallow+feather behaviour years ago=2C but no one could eve=
r tell me what it signified. In that case=2C it was a single bird and a si=
ngle white feather=3B the swallow would catch the feather in flight=2C make=
a loop back around to roughly where it started=2C release the feather=2C l=
oop back around and catch it again as it drifted. Eventually the feather c=
ame to earth and the "game"(?) ended. If memory serves=2C it was early in =
the season=2C so likely not a juvenile practising=2C and I thought if it wa=
s some sort of selection process for nesting material it went on rather a l=
ong time.
=20
Cheers=2C
=20
A. Woolaver
=20
> From: mmillard@eastlink.ca
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: [NatureNS] White Point birds
> Date: Wed=2C 9 Jun 2010 15:03:08 -0300
>=20
> It was a spectacular morning but the cloud is moving in more heavily=2C t=
he=20
> sunny rays less easily enjoyed.
> I had to run to town for a few thing and was scouting out a place across =
the=20
> inlet from the mill=2C at the Marina Park in Brooklyn to try some paintin=
g.=20
> There are geese and ducks in there that I was hoping might be still paddl=
ing=20
> about with their young. It was pretty quiet with only a couple Cormorants=
as=20
> well as a couple male Mallards=2C mostly with their bottoms up! out and a=
bout.=20
> The tide was out and the mud flats were being checked over by a few gulls=
. I=20
> was watching the mill equipment turn upside down a truck to get the chips=
=20
> when I noticed a few swallows. I was just pondering what type they were w=
hen=20
> more appeared and the neatest thing happened. (well I think it was neat) =
A=20
> swallow swooped in front of my vehicle and down onto the mud flat and up =
it=20
> came with a white feather which it seemed to loose control off almost=20
> immediately=2C and as the feather wafted away (very little breeze) others=
=20
> swooped in to try to capture it. It was almost as if they were playing wi=
th=20
> it=2C when another feather and a third appeared and the trying to catch/s=
teal=20
> the feathers began in earnest. At one point there were 9 birds I could se=
e=20
> winging in and swooping away. Suddenly it was all over and several birds=
=20
> left trying to manage flying their awkward prizes away.
> Here on the property=2C we still have swallows either sitting on eggs or =
very=20
> fresh hatches. The Grackles (oh my the grackle numbers are increasing dai=
ly=20
> now) have tried as have the starlings to get the house contents but these=
=20
> birds have been very protective so far. Lots of blackflies and other wing=
ed=20
> thingies out and about so hopefully they will have plenty to eat this yea=
r.=20
> With so many nests producing young all the squawking and cheeping is almo=
st=20
> deafening at times. Lovely to enjoy morning tea by.
> Have a number of hummingbirds and lots of feather screams are happening.=
=20
> Steve thinks I should wear his wood cutting head gear out there. I have=20
> already been hit a couple times by birds intent on running someone else o=
ff.
> Today I had what I think was a sparrow. Quite different. Very pretty=2C m=
ainly=20
> shades of pewtery gray=2C sort of a lacey pattern on wings=2C heavier=2C =
dark=20
> beak=2C (not like a finch) clean buff underbody=2C just away from cream t=
oward=20
> white but with a very=2C very soft yellow=2C lightly streaked down each s=
ide=20
> over laid with light short gray/brown streaks. I get a flash of yellow=20
> somewhere and oh the head was a different shape=2C rather blunt but not t=
o the=20
> point of some flat heads. It has an interesting call if it is the same bi=
rd=20
> I have been starling when we come in and go out. I went out this am to se=
e=20
> could I see it and It does seem to be getting used to me being there so=20
> maybe I can get a photo. I would like to know what this one is. It has be=
en=20
> here on and off since mid May I would say=2C or one like it.
> Northern Flicker is digging away at the crack in the back platform and is=
=20
> making headway. It seems to be pulling out small stones now so I may have=
to=20
> fill it back in. The ants are everywhere so it should find plenty elsewhe=
re.
> Oh Sunday evening we had a window strike by a Northern Parula. What a=20
> beautiful bird!!Poor little bird hit the window twice and headed down int=
o=20
> wet grass. I knew it would be predated very quickly so went and picked it=
=20
> up=2C its eyes were responsive and then put it in on a bough of the fir t=
ree=20
> out front. It was able to sit although seemed somewhat stunned. It=20
> eventually moved itself in a bit further and when the heavens opened and =
the=20
> thunder rolled through=2C it was in further yet. By then it was pretty da=
rk so=20
> I can only hope it survived.
> As I said earlier it is pretty quiet here right now=2C well in a matter o=
f=20
> speaking.....traffic wise=3B it is comparative I guess.
> Marg Millard=2C White Point=2C Queens
> http://MargMillard.ca=20
>=20
>=20
=20
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Hi =3BMarg=2C<BR>
 =3B<BR>
I saw a similar swallow+feather behaviour years ago=2C but no one =3Bco=
uld ever tell me what it signified. =3B In that case=2C it was a single=
bird and a single white feather=3B the swallow would catch the feather in =
flight=2C make a loop back around to roughly where it started=2C release th=
e feather=2C loop back around and =3Bcatch it again as it drifted. =
=3B Eventually the feather came to earth and the "game"(?) ended. =3B I=
f memory serves=2C it was early in the season=2C so likely not a juvenile&n=
bsp=3Bpractising=2C and I =3Bthought if it was some sort of selection p=
rocess for nesting material it went on rather a long time.<BR>
 =3B<BR>
Cheers=2C<BR>
 =3B<BR>
A. Woolaver<BR> =3B<BR>>=3B From: mmillard@eastlink.ca<BR>>=3B To: =
naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR>>=3B Subject: [NatureNS] White Point birds<BR>=
>=3B Date: Wed=2C 9 Jun 2010 15:03:08 -0300<BR>>=3B <BR>>=3B It was a=
spectacular morning but the clo