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Curious Violet-green Swallow
It’s been a long cold winter on Vancouver Island. and in some respects it isn’t over. We woke up to snow on the ground on April Fool’s Day, and again last this morning. Despite that, there was a large flock of Violet-green swallows over the far side of the Somass River this morning. When they show up, I know the back of winter is broken. So even though there is seven-and-a-half feet of snow on the local mountain, you know warmer days are coming.
Violet-green Swallows winter in California and Mexico. They leave these parts before summer is over. By mid August they have left. But not without having bred. They arrive early and leave early.
My favourite place to see them in the Alberni Valley, where I live is at the Thompson farm at McCoy Lake, a small, shallow lake west of town. Old Mr. Thompson, when he was alive, built a couple of dozen swallow boxes around his hous on a little knoll. And for the twenty years that I have been here they have reliably attracted Violet-green and Tree Swallows.
The view from the knoll is incredible, offering great views of the lake with the rugged beauty of Mount Arrowsmith in the background.
