Real County Cliff Swallow Colony

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="096d4c00dduajq.gif"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" WIDTH="95" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 46 WIDTH="91"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="46" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="91" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#003333" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Fauna and Flora of Kerr County, Texas</B></FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Fauna and Flora of Kerr County, Texa"><U>home</U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> Real County Cliff Swallow Colony</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Comparison of nests from 6 May and 11 May 2003</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="108783220.jpg" border=0 width="387" height="290" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="108583220.jpg" border=0 width="387" height="290" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="108989430.jpg" border=0 width="393" height="579" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="108b7f430.jpg" border=0 width="383" height="579" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Cliff Swallow, </B><I><B>Petrochelidon pyrrhonota</B></I></div> <div> In honeycomb limestone on southwest face of Shiprock cliff near Laity Lodge, HEB Camp, Real County, </div> <div> 6 May 2003 (L) & 11 May 2003 (R)</div> <div> <I><B>photos </B></I><B>©</B> <I><B>by tony gallucci</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Here is a direct comparison picture from both days of observation -- overall there's not a lot of difference. In the closeups you can see the most growth in the top (especially) and bottom nests. The next to  the top nest seems to have some effort at forming the "gourd" on the back corners of the nest. The next to the bottom nest seems to have suffered a break on the left center. The left side pictures were taken on 6 May 2003 and the right side pictures were taken on 11 May 2003. The lower pictures are simply details from the upper pictures.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Pictures from 23 May 2003</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="109558c20.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="450" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="109b680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="109c680e0.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="109d6f130.jpg" border=0 width="367" height="275" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="10a06f130.jpg" border=0 width="367" height="275" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>Cliff Swallow, </B><I><B>Petrochelidon pyrrhonota</B></I></div> <div> In honeycomb limestone on southwest face of Shiprock cliff near Laity Lodge, HEB Camp, Real County, 23 May 2003 </div> <div> <I><B>photos </B></I><B>©</B> <I><B>by tony gallucci</B></I></div> <bR> <div> Unfortunately i failed somehow to get the matching pictures for direct comparison on this trip. Although by stone formation you can make some comparisons to pictures below. As can be seen here, in the last twelve days, quite a few nests have been built up into the usual gourd shape characteristic of Cliff Swallows. Funny how on some only the tube part is visible. Some of the nests had to have been constructed completely in a shape dictated by the limestone holes. I realized last week that the reason the whole colony looks so funny is that you don't have the usual side-by-side often mutual-walled construction. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>More pictures from 11 May 2003</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="107f84230.jpg" border=0 width="388" height="291" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="107d84230.jpg" border=0 width="388" height="291" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="108180200.jpg" border=0 width="384" height="288" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="108380200.jpg" border=0 width="384" height="288" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Cliff Swallow, </B><I><B>Petrochelidon pyrrhonota</B></I></div> <div> In honeycomb limestone on southwest face of Shiprock cliff near Laity Lodge, HEB Camp, Real County, 11 May 2003 </div> <div> <I><B>photos </B></I><B>©</B> <I><B>by tony gallucci</B></I></div> <bR> <div> These pictures were taken the afternoon of 11 May 2003 at the honeycomb limestone formation on the road to Linnet's Wings at HEB Camp, near Laity Lodge. The picture on the left shows a more straight on view than i took before -- this of a Sumac overhanging part of the nest area, with a view of some of the occupied nest holes behind it. The picture upper right can be compared to the one directly below here although little can be seen in the way of change here. There are a number of mud dauber nests in this section of holes. I will be able to revisit this colony in about ten days and, of course, will take more pictures.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="108d2a6c0.jpg" border=0 width="298" height="364" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Cliff Swallow, </B><I><B>Petrochelidon pyrrhonota</B></I></div> <div> HEB Camp, Real County, 11 May 2003 </div> <div> <I><B>photos </B></I><B>©</B> <I><B>by tony gallucci</B></I></div> <bR> <div> This is a pretty extreme enlargement of a nest that seems to just be a tube extension from the honeycomb hole itself -- rather hornbill nest-like in appearance. You can see the cream forehead of one of the adults inside.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Original lot of pictures from 6 May 2003</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="10768e200.jpg" border=0 width="398" height="288" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="107873200.jpg" border=0 width="371" height="288" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="107158c20.jpg" border=0 width="600" height="450" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1079791b0.jpg" border=0 width="377" height="283" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="107a791b0.jpg" border=0 width="377" height="283" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="107bc2520.jpg" border=0 width="450" height="338" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <B>Cliff Swallow, </B><I><B>Petrochelidon pyrrhonota</B></I></div> <div> In honeycomb limestone on southwest face of cliff near Laity Lodge, HEB Camp, Real County, 6 May 2003 </div> <div> <I><B>photos </B></I><B>©</B> <I><B>by tony gallucci</B></I></div> <bR> <div> About 200 adult birds were in this colony. They were still gathering mud, a little late for this part of the country. Will check a couple of more times in May to see if they continue to build the usual gourd-shaped nests -- as of Tuesday, May 6th, they much more resembled classic Cave Swallow nests. None were Cave Swallows,<I> Petrochelidon fulva, </I>however, nor were any suspicious in that regard. Outside of the unusual nesting sites in honeycomb holes and the current odd shape of the nests, another unusual feature is that many of the nests were behind hanging Agarita, <I>Berberis trifoliolata,</I> Texas Persimmon,<I> Diospyros texana, </I>and Sumac, <I>Rhus, </I>bushes preventing a direct straight-on approach to the nests. The birds came up to these nests nearly vertically from below. All other cliff colonies currently known in Kerr County have unobstructed entry. Overpass and culvert colonies of course must deal with the indirect approach as well. A number of the holes also hosted mud-daubers and red wasps, neither of which deterred the swallows apparently. I continue to be intrigued by what seems to be increasing adaptability, and its genetic consequences/causes, in this complex of swallows. Lots of conjecture around, none of which i believe will be solved by anything short of DNA work.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>