[Tweeters] RE Decline in swallow numbers

[Jim Betz via Tweeters]

Hi,

   I'd like to report from a 'historical perspective'.  I grew up in 
Anacortes and left there to go to

SF State ... way back in the fall of '63.  I still had family here in 
Washington but until just 5

years ago I hadn't -lived- in the PNW.

   The population growth in the PNW - specifically on the West side of 
the Cascades - is

extremely noticeable.  Even here in Skagit County (pop. 125,000 and 
growing) the change is

huge.  Houses and roads everywhere, roads going from 2 lanes (old Hwy 
99) to 4 or even 6

(I-5) lanes ... and crowded.  The number of cars literally anytime you 
want to name on 20

between Anacortes and Mt.Vernon/Burlington is nearly at capacity.  "At 
capacity" means

that if you add more volume of traffic you go over the capability of the 
road to handle the

same average speed.

     Population growth also means 'loss of habitat' (food and nesting 
sources).  Even the

pandemic didn't slow down the growth here in Skagit County (one of the 
most rural

counties on the West side of the Cascades).

   We don't have the right perspective when we are discussing things if 
we aren't taking

a longer view of 'history'.  What's happened in the last 5 years isn't 
important - what's

important is what's happened in the last 50 years!

                                                               - rant 
over ... Jim

P.S. BTW - the PNW is hugely better than Californicatia!

On 7/24/2024 12:04 PM, via Tweeters wrote:

> RE Decline in swallow numbers

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