|
Further to Ben Whitworth's report about the amazing behaviour of sparrows
at Albury, here's a note that appeared in The Australian Bird Watcher,
Vol. 14 (3), September 1991, p.81.
Welcome Swallows Operating Electronic
Doors
Upon our arrival at Rockhampton railway station, at 1800 h on
28 August 1989, we noted Welcome Swallows Hirundo neoxena flying around
in the waiting room. This is a high ceiling area, windows around the upper part
clerestory fashion, the centre of the room planted with tall trees and other
plants. There was no time then to investigate, only to wonder how the birds got
in and out.
On 30 August 1989, at 1400 h, waiting for train departure at
2230 h, we had leisure to observe the birds in the waiting room and noted a nest
high up in one corner. There were a few people about, and once when someone
walked to the automatic sliding door and opened it, one of the birds flew
out.
Later, when no human was near the door, we saw one swallow fly
back and forth, fluttering, in the path of the electric eye that controlled the
door, and when the door opened, the two birds flew out! This was sufficiently
out of our ordinary experience to keep us watching, and we observed two more
instances of the birds letting themselves out, and one instance of the bird
letting itself back in from the outside.
Concentrated observation time covered 45 minutes, 1415 to 1500
h. After that, the station had more passenger traffic going in and out, making
it less easy to follow the birds' activities.
By Daniel McKnight and Barbara McKnight, PO Box 246, Glenwood,
New Mexico, 88039, USA.
John K. Layton.
|
