Although shorebirds and wading birds are more likely to come to mind when one sees the words "barrier island," birds of all stripes use barrier islands like Masonboro Island. Recently, we have been flocks of close to a thousand Tree Swallows foraging above the marshes and spoil islands on the island's sound side.

Tree Swallows that breed along the Atlantic seaboard migrate down the coast to their wintering grounds in Florida, Cuba, and Central America. Unlike many species or shorebirds and songbirds, they migrate during the day and congregate in large communal roosts at night. Some have been observed during winter in North Carolina, but most winter farther south, so it's likely the flocks feeding here now are migrants. The back side of Masonboro Island, with its shrubby thickets and saltmarsh, is ideal foraging habitat. Tree Swallows feed mostly on flying insects like flies and mayflies, which they nab on the wing with quick, erratic zigs and zags. It's quite a show for anyone lucky enough to be present when a feeding flock comes through.