Signs of Spring Update: March 22, 2002 Today's Report Includes: Migration News: Barn Swallows Swooping in! Cliff Swallows Back in Capistrano: Link to Lesson Muddy Mouthfuls: Challenge Questions #12 and #13 All in the Muscles: Challenge Question #14 Warm Without Feathers: Discussion of Challenge Question #10 Ocean or Lake: Discussion of Challenge Question #11 Migration News: Barn Swallows Swooping in! Swallows time their migration so they can feed on flying insects. From this map, what can you infer about temperature conditions this week? Swallow Migration Data One of the true signs of spring is the arrival of swallows. We had many reports of Barn Swallows this past week, and they're steadily moving north from the coasts now! Suddenly they've become conspicuous in Louisiana and southern Texas, and are clearly moving north. One was even reported on the record-breaking early date of March 13 all the way up in Madison, Wisconsin! Of course, with the mild winter, some Barn Swallows didn't go far, and some actually remained all winter in mild areas. It isn't too unusual to see Barn Swallows in January in south Florida, where we had a January 8 report. Ed Stonicks reported from Pasadena, CA, "we had 7 Barn Swallows on our Pasadena Christmas Bird Count and a few more on the Palos Verdes Count. There were records in about half a dozen other California CBCs. Most years almost none are seen." Swallows were also being seen as far north as Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia by mid-February. And imagine the shock 3rd grade teacher Emily Ference felt when a swallow appeared in her barn in Stanhope, NJ, on February 28! She writes, "On Thursday I saw the first barn swallow fly from the shed of the barn and across the fields on to the trees by the brook. It is VERY early to see that bird now. I was very startled and surprised to see the bird. I wondered what it will eat since I've seen only a few moths out so far. However, the little bird flew from the shed in our barn to the fence line and onto the trees near the brook. I watched it do the flight and it was about 20 feet in front of me when it was in the trees. Its bright red breast and blue coloring showed up as well as the distinctive tail. We usually don't see it until late April or May around our area. I have no explanation for its appearance nor have I seen any other swallows." Early migrants do have a hard time surviving with late winter storms, but Barn Swallows usually stick near open water, where at least a few emerging mosquitoes and other aquatic insects provide food. Cliff Swallows Back in Capistrano! Mission San Juan Capistrano While Journey North participants were reporting Barn Swallows, people at Mission San Juan Capistrano were searching for a close relative, the Cliff Swallow. Cliff Swallows traditionally return to the Mission in mid-March, and their arrival is celebrated on March 19 every year. Did they make to back in time this year? We called the Mission and a spokesperson told us: Yes, and more swallows returned this year than the last couple years. The scouts arrived on the 13th, and we still expect stragglers to be arriving after the 19th. We have seen 4-5 flocks plus a couple of LARGE swallows (in costumes!) The weather has been beautiful and they're coming back in droves! We recently took down some scaffolding from the building, and that's where they liked to nest, so that may have helped. We also put some of the delicacies they like in the garden -- like ladybugs, which are like chocolate chip cookies to the swallows! Cliff Swallows Photo Courtesy of James R. Gallagher The Cliff Swallows have been coming back to San Juan Capistrano from their Argentina wintering grounds every mid-March for thousands of years, and people have been welcoming them since at least 1910. Why do they return to the Mission so faithfully? To learn more about this wonderful rite of spring and how it inspired a popular song, see Swallows on a Mission Muddy Mouthfuls Both Cliff and Barn Swallows build their nests of mud. Barn Swallows make a cup nest that they stick on the walls of a barn or other structure. Cliff Swallows build a nest shaped like a gourd, with little holes for the incubating parent or the babies to peek out of. It's fascinating watching them collecting mud and working on the nest. To see it, check out the film footage of swallows building their nests taken by people at Mission San Juan Capistrano. Cliff Swallows Photo Courtesy of James R. Gallagher   Look closely at these Cliff Swallow nests and think about what the swallows must do to build them. What habitat requirements must swallows have to make these nests? Why do you suppose the nests have this unusual texture, as if they were made of mud marbles? Challenge Question #12: "List at least two or three special habitat needsof Cliff Swallows in their nesting area." Challenge Question #13: "Why are all the mud pellets that make up a Cliff Swallow nest about the same size and shape?" (To respond to these questions, please follow the instructions below.) All in the Muscles Did you watch the Winter Olympics? In the speedskating events, the fastest skaters in short distance events did not compete in the long distance events, and the fastest long distance skaters did not compete in the short distance events. Why? Because people have two different kinds of muscle fibers: "red" and "white." Check out this lesson: Muscle Magic Then answer this question: Challenge Question #14: "If a falcon caught a swallow, would its dinner be mainly red meat or white meat?" (To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.) Warm Without Feathers: Discussion of Challenge Question #10 Last time we asked, "Although the loon's skin is protected by down and contour feathers, its beak, eyes, legs, and feet are bare. So how does a loon keep those body parts warm in frigid waters?" Sixth grader Kate at Ferrisburgh Central School has been paying close attention to our lessons! She writes, "The beak is made of the same kind of tissue as our fingernails so the blood in it wouldn't get cold and go to the other parts of the body and cool it down as well. The legs and the feet have a smaller blood flow. They still need some blood to power the muscles so they can swim. The blood from the legs travels near a heated blood vessel before it goes back into the body. There are two sets of blood vessels for the legs. One to take the warm blood to the legs and one to bring the cooler blood back - the cooler blood travels near the warmer blood. I learned this from reading the lesson "Who Needs Wet Suits with Feathers Like These?" Hooray for Kate! Ocean or Lake? Discussion of Challenge Question #11 "Why do so many more loons winter in the ocean than on lakes? List two or three reasons." Loons cannot fly while they are molting. 1. If they are on the ocean and run out of fish in one place, they can easily swim to another place. 2. Lakes can suddenly freeze over more easily than the ocean can. If loons are on a lake that suddenly freezes, there is no way they can get to another place. 3. If loons run out of food on a lake, there is no way they can get to another place. 4. A great variety of fish, with some different minerals, is available in the ocean. Over a year, a loon's diet will be more balanced if it spends some time in the ocean. How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions: IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message. 1. Address an E-mail message to: jn-challenge-spring@learner.org 2. IMPORTANT: In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #12 (OR #13 OR #14) 3. In the body of the message, give your answer to the question above. The Next Signs of Spring Update Will be Posted on March 29, 2002 Copyright 2002 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form