6/30/04 -- Alta Vista Farm, Rutland
I drove out to Alta Vista Farm in Rutland in search of the Cliff Swallows. One of the farmers told me that they never returned this spring. To encourage nesting, the farmer had placed several clay Cliff Swallow nesting supports under the eves of the large barn and these were used by the Cliff Swallows last year. This year they were not even being used by the House Sparrows. There were, not surprisingly, large numbers of Barn Swallows (shown above) at the farm. (photo from Bob Ricci).