These are all Tree Swallows, a small section of the cloud of 7,000 plus we saw yesterday.
If you are wondering where the Tree Swallows are right now, 7,000 plus are on Sanibel Island, FL. We saw them yesterday, from Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, looking like a swirling giant dark cloud from a distance over refuge lands. They eat aerial insects, then descend on Wax Myrtle (like Bayberry up north) bushes and devour the high fat berries, which will give them fuel for their northward journey in spring. We have at least 15 nesting pairs of Tree Swallows in our boxes at our NH property. We wonder when we look up, whether "our" Tree Swallows are in that giant cloud of birds. It's a good thing they are here now.
Thinking of all of you about to get hit with Blizzard "Nemo." Keep your bird feeders filled and stay safe.
