[NatureNS] Fw: Hundreds of Cliff Swallows in Portuguese Cove

From: Brian Bartlett <bbartlett@eastlink.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
References: <14F7C7A10FBB42CFBA9FE92A11D0502E@hans57ff9baf63>
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 23:00:12 -0300
Importance: Normal
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insects swarm and could attract swallows.&amp;nbsp; Ants (many species 
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--oh sorry, I absentmindely typed =E2=80=9CCliff Swallows=E2=80=9D in my =
message of about an hour ago, but what I saw were in fact Bank =
Swallows....

From: Brian Bartlett=20
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2013 10:03 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Fw: Hundreds of Cliff Swallows in Portuguese =
Cove

Early last Wednesday morning (July 17th), at Spencer=E2=80=99s Point, =
Colchester County, on Cobequid Basin, I saw many Cliff Swallows swooping =
about and photographed their nest-holes high up near the top of high =
sandstone banksides. The nest-hole count was 80. Does anyone know the =
average likelihood of the visible holes containing nests? That is, would =
many of the holes be the result of false starts, so there may have =
actually been only, say, 60 (or 40, etc.) nests within the 80 holes? A =
Bald Eagle was nearby, and I wondered if it would be a predator on the =
swallows.

Also in Colchester County, a week ago today (on July 14), sitting by =
Great Village River=E2=80=99s word-of-mouth =E2=80=9Cswimming =
hole=E2=80=9D area, I was delighted to watch three Spotted Sandpipers =
off-and-on for more than an hour. One, obviously a juvenile, still had =
fluffy chick feathers adhering to its tail. Took several photos.

Brian Bartlett, Halifax

From: David McCorquodale=20
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2013 9:21 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Fw: Hundreds of Cliff Swallows in Portuguese =
Cove

Hans, Blake et al.

I would expect it is another flying insect rather than mosquitoes.  We =
notice a lot of mosquitoes because they are attracted to us.  However =
most mosquitoes sit and wait on vegetation until a potential food source =
gets their attention.  Many other insects swarm and could attract =
swallows.  Ants (many species in NS) swarm and I suspect they have been =
and still are an important source for aerial insectivores.  Aquatic =
insects such as mayflies (and yes some species are flying now in July), =
and caddisflies are a couple more options.  Those would be my first =
three guesses.

If anyone could either photograph or collect the insects that are =
attracting the swallows it would be of great value.  One of the =
constraints in understanding the decline of swallows such as Barn =
Swallows, Bank Swallows and Cliff Swallows is that we know relatively =
little about what foods they eat through the few months they spend in =
NS.  Given there are 10,000 plus species of insects in NS, just knowing =
they eat insects does not provide much understanding.

Saw my first Common Nighthawk of the fall migration at Cape Breton =
University as the big thunderstorm lit up the sky yesterday evening (20 =
July 2013).  I suspect that ants seeking mates are a major source of =
food for nighthawks through the next month or so.  But this is =
speculation rather than solid observation.  Can someone disprove my =
idea?

DBMcC

David McCorquodale
Georges RIver, NS




On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 8:52 PM, Hans Toom <htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca> =
wrote:


  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Hans Toom=20
  To: NS-RBA=20
  Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2013 8:51 PM
  Subject: Hundreds of Cliff Swallows in Portuguese Cove

  Leona MacAdam phoned Blake Maybank via Nova Scotia Bird Society =
listing. Blake gave Leona my phone number and I went over immediately, a =
30 second drive. There are Cliff Swallows by the hundred hawking =
mosquitoes around the high ground at the top of Camperdown Road so go up =
to the top of the hill and just look around. There are likely other =
species of swallows present as well. Leona does not want lots of =
visitors to her place but it won't be necessary to go to her place in =
any case because the swallows are wide ranging in the area. I'll try =
photographing the display tomorrow morning.

  Hans
  =
_________________________________________________________________________=
________________________________
  Hans Toom
  Portuguese Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
  http://www.hanstoom.com/


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<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=3Dltr>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>--oh sorry, I absentmindely typed =E2=80=9CCliff Swallows=E2=80=9D =
in my message of about=20
an hour ago, but what I saw were in fact Bank Swallows....</DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; =
COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: =
inline">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<DIV><FONT size=3D3 face=3DCalibri></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style=3D"font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A =
title=3Dbbartlett@eastlink.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:bbartlett@eastlink.ca">Brian Bartlett</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 21, 2013 10:03 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] Fw: Hundreds of Cliff Swallows in =
Portuguese=20
Cove</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; =
COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: =
inline">
<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>Early last Wednesday morning (July 17th), at Spencer=E2=80=99s =
Point, Colchester=20
County, on Cobequid Basin, I saw many Cliff Swallows swooping about and=20
photographed their nest-holes high up near the top of high sandstone =
banksides.=20
The nest-hole count was 80. Does anyone know the average likelihood of =
the=20
visible holes containing nests? That is, would many of the holes be the =
result=20
of false starts, so there may have actually been only, say, 60 (or 40, =
etc.)=20
nests within the 80 holes? A Bald Eagle was nearby, and I wondered if it =
would=20
be a predator on the swallows.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Also in Colchester County, a week ago today (on July 14), sitting =
by Great=20
Village River=E2=80=99s word-of-mouth =E2=80=9Cswimming hole=E2=80=9D =
area, I was delighted to watch=20
three Spotted Sandpipers off-and-on for more than an hour. One, =
obviously a=20
juvenile, still had fluffy chick feathers adhering to its tail. Took =
several=20
photos.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Brian Bartlett, Halifax</DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; =
COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: =
inline">
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<DIV><FONT size=3D3 face=3DCalibri></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style=3D"font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A =
title=3Ddbmcc09@gmail.com=20
href=3D"mailto:dbmcc09@gmail.com">David McCorquodale</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 21, 2013 9:21 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NatureNS] Fw: Hundreds of Cliff Swallows in =
Portuguese=20
Cove</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></DIV>
<DIV=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: small; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; =
COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; TEXT-DECORATION: none; DISPLAY: =
inline">
<DIV dir=3Dltr><SPAN style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: =
rgb(0,0,0)">Hans, Blake et=20
al.</SPAN><BR style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">I would expect it is =
another=20
flying insect rather than mosquitoes.&nbsp; We notice a lot of =
mosquitoes=20
because they are attracted to us.&nbsp; However most mosquitoes sit and =
wait on=20
vegetation until a potential food source gets their attention.&nbsp; =
Many other=20
insects swarm and could attract swallows.&nbsp; Ants (many species in =
NS) swarm=20
and I suspect they have been and still are an important source for =
aerial=20
insectivores.&nbsp; Aquatic insects such as mayflies (and yes some =
species are=20
flying now in July), and caddisflies are a couple more options.&nbsp; =
Those=20
would be my first three guesses.</SPAN><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">If anyone could either =
photograph=20
or collect the insects that are attracting the swallows it would be of =
great=20
value.&nbsp; One of the constraints in understanding the decline of =
swallows=20
such as Barn Swallows, Bank Swallows and Cliff Swallows is that we know=20
relatively little about what foods they eat through the few months they =
spend in=20
NS.&nbsp; Given there are 10,000 plus species of insects in NS, just =
knowing=20
they eat insects does not provide much understanding.</SPAN><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Saw my first Common =
Nighthawk of=20
the fall migration at Cape Breton University as the big thunderstorm lit =
up the=20
sky yesterday evening (20 July 2013).&nbsp; I suspect that ants seeking =
mates=20
are a major source of food for nighthawks through the next month or =
so.&nbsp;=20
But this is speculation rather than solid observation.&nbsp; Can someone =

disprove my idea?</SPAN><BR style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: =
rgb(0,0,0)"><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">DBMcC</SPAN><BR><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">David =
McCorquodale</SPAN><BR=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-FAMILY: times; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0)">Georges RIver, =
NS</SPAN><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_extra><BR><BR>
<DIV class=3Dgmail_quote>On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 8:52 PM, Hans Toom =
<SPAN=20
dir=3Dltr>&lt;<A href=3D"mailto:htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca"=20
target=3D_blank>htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca</A>&gt;</SPAN> wrote:<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dgmail_quote=20
style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc =
1px solid"><U></U>
  <DIV bgcolor=3D"#ffffff">
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----=20
  <DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4"><B>From:</B> <A =
title=3Dhtoom@hfx.eastlink.ca=20
  href=3D"mailto:htoom@hfx.eastlink.ca" target=3D_blank>Hans Toom</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=3DNS-RBA@yahoogroups.com=20
  href=3D"mailto:NS-RBA@yahoogroups.com" target=3D_blank>NS-RBA</A> =
</DIV>
  <DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, July 21, 2013 8:51 PM</DIV>
  <DIV><B>Subject:</B> Hundreds of Cliff Swallows in Portuguese =
Cove</DIV></DIV>
  <DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Leona MacAdam phoned Blake Maybank via Nova =
Scotia Bird=20
  Society listing. Blake gave Leona my phone number and I went over =
immediately,=20
  a 30 second drive. There are Cliff Swallows by the hundred hawking =
mosquitoes=20
  around the high ground at the top of Camperdown Road so go up to the =
top of=20
  the hill and just look around. There are likely other species of =
swallows=20
  present as well. Leona does not want lots of visitors to her place but =
it=20
  won't be necessary to go to her place in any case because the swallows =
are=20
  wide ranging in the area. I'll try photographing the display tomorrow=20
  morning.</FONT></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT=20
  =
face=3DArial><BR>Hans<BR>________________________________________________=
_________________________________________________________<SPAN=20
  class=3DHOEnZb><FONT color=3D#888888><BR>Hans Toom<BR>Portuguese Cove, =
Nova=20
  Scotia, Canada<BR><A href=3D"http://www.hanstoom.com/"=20
  =
target=3D_blank>http://www.hanstoom.com/</A><BR></FONT></SPAN></FONT></DI=
V></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>=


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