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From: andrewt@cluster.cs.su.oz.au (Andrew Taylor)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: swallows return to Capistrano
Message-ID: <2217@cluster.cs.su.oz.au>
Date: 22 Mar 91 04:50:49 GMT
Organization: Dept. of Comp. Science, Uni of Sydney, Australia
Lines: 12

I've just read that 2000 people were in Capistrano to greet the returning
swallows on March 19. Supposedly that have been late only once (in the 1930's).

I'm skeptical the majority arrive on a single date because the calender year
doesn't match the solar year precisely i.e some years the swallows should turn
up on the 18th (or 20th).

Do the majority of the swallows really arrive on March 19?
Why is there return date even close to precise - why don;t they wait
for favourable weather along the way?

Andrew Taylor