April 14 Tree Swallow Acrobatics

I ran around the Lakeshore Preserve this morning and to my delight saw dozens of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) along the entire shoreline, speeding around in circles and usually perching on the same tree for a breather between flights. Anne spotted tree swallows for the first time on March 31, so they have been around for two weeks and increasing in number. Their amazing flying abilities help them catch insects on the wing, and they prefer water where many flying insects also prefer to be. They were named as such because they nest in tree cavities, which isn't very original at all. Later in the summer tree swallows will gather into huge flocks and roost together, offering viewers the scene of hundreds of birds swirling around together at sunset. Other sightings today included several wood ducks that flew in from the lake and ducked into the corner of the Picnic Point Marsh, one robin that did not stop vocalizing for ten straight minutes, a pair of cranky geese, and the always busy redwings. I also noticed bloodroot and trout lily coming up for the first time in Bill's Woods and a few new trees have started with flowers and leaves as well. I'll keep my eyes on those.