Date:         Mon, 10 Mar 2003 09:05:39 -0500
Reply-To:     Giff Beaton <giffbeaton@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Georgia Birders Online <GABO-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Giff Beaton <giffbeaton@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Barn Swallows
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

GABbers: It is always interesting to note the arrivals of migrants,
especially in the spring! By the time March rolls around I am really
looking forward to the returning foliage and warblers to hide in it... This
year, Barn Swallows have been seen very early in all areas of Georgia. In
fact, we have set new early arrival records in 3 out of the 4 physiographic
regions in Georgia, in the order they were reported:

Coastal Plain: 1 Mar 2003, new early date for GA and new regional date by 1
day (W Chambers). This region is where the first returning swallows always
show up after they cross the Gulf. Since this bird was seen up at the
Bradley Unit it probably arrived in GA in February...!

Mountains: 5 Mar 2003, new regional date by 10 days! (J Spence)

Coast: 7 Mar 2003, new regional date by 8 days (R Wigh).

Piedmont: 9 Mar 2003, only missed early date by 3 days (J Flynn).

That's a pretty widespread movement of early arrivals, and it will be
interesting to see if this turns into any kind of pattern or is limited to
this species. Once the revised Annotated Checklist comes out in a few
weeks, those of you interested in regional arrivals and departures can
check this information for yourselves...

Giff Beaton
Marietta GA

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