Bugs Are on a Mission

Tiny red ladybugs crawled up Holly Franks’ arms here Wednesday and eventually got stuck in her long blond hair, where they flapped their wings and generally seemed to be resisting their fate.

The bugs are bait as workers at Mission San Juan Capistrano try to fix an annoying little problem.

Once again, it appears there will be far more tourists than birds as the city prepares for the annual return of the swallows, an event that draws spectators from around the world and is a part of the color and lore of California.

In recent years, so few swallows have been swooping into the 221-year-old mission as part of their 7,500-mile migration from Goya, Argentina, that city and mission officials have gone to amusing (to outsiders) lengths to entice the brown-and-black birds.

Mission employees are sprinkling ladybugs and green lace-wing insects about the grounds of the edifice built by Father Junipero Serra, hoping some swallows will bite.

There wasn’t even a nibble Wednesday, but Franks, an administrative assistant at the mission, wasn’t about to give up hope.

“On Swallows Day, they will be flying in between these pepper trees,” Franks said confidently. “They kind of make a squeaking noise and flutter their wings. They are also very fast.”

What’s the matter with these birds? Don’t they have any respect for a 68-year-old city tradition?

The culprit is urbanization, said Sylvia Gallagher, bird information chairwoman for the Sea & Sage Audubon Society.

“Historically, the mission was the only [structure] around and it was next to a creek, but now there are lots of bridges and buildings,” she said. “They are going to find a place next to their mud supply.”

Another factor inhibiting the swallows’ return is the scaffolding put up around the Great Stone Church in 1989. The construction to stabilize the church, destroyed by an earthquake in 1812, was extended last year to include the dome area, but the work has discouraged swallows from nesting.

Bird experts say there are countless swallows in Orange County, but fewer are taking their traditional cue to take up residence at the mission from March to August. Nobody really has numbers to track the decline in swallows at the mission, but many people have noticed the drop.

“I’ve seen them at the mission, but not in the great numbers the Chamber [of Commerce] would lead you to believe,” said Ken Fortune, a member of the South Coast Audubon Society.

“I usually see them where there is water.”

A chamber spokesman could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The paucity of swallows is not expected to dampen Return of the Swallows Day activities scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on both Saturday and Thursday, March 19, the traditional Feast of St. Joseph. Mission officials expect about 12,000 visitors the first day and another 5,000 for weekday celebration.

Swallows Day is taken seriously by San Juan Capistrano because it brings in tourist crowds and symbolizes the historic community of 29,000 people. So it’s not surprising the town would try almost anything to keep the birds coming.

A few years ago, a craftsperson diligently made clay nests and placed them under mission eaves to attract more birds, with modest success. Now, the mission is sticking with a tactic that’s been tried over the past few years--an appeal to the swallows’ stomachs.

Twice a day, at 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., mission employees empty half a dozen containers crawling with ladybugs because swallows eat the red and black insects on the wing.

A second course, considered a delicacy for swallows, is the green lace-wing larvae, which employees stash about the grounds. But so far, few birds have flown in and built nests.

“They were here about a week ago, but I haven’t seen them make their mud nests yet,” said Garrett M. Smith, project manager for Pointe Construction Inc., which is helping restore the mission.

These days, visitors are more likely to find swallows tucked under nearby freeway underpasses, hanging out under eaves at the Mission Viejo Mall or pestering businesses that don’t want their mess.

Still, city officials promise that if people want to see birds, this is the place to do it.

“A lot of people don’t know their pigeons from their swallows,” said Mayor Gil Jones. “But there are always a lot of birds to look at on that day.”

Nobody’s giving up on the swallows. In fact, there is modest reason for hope.

Mission docent Alana Jolley said the bird crud on a cluster of nests outside her office window prove there are some swallows around.

“These are empty swallows’ nests,” Jolley said, “but because of the droppings, you can tell they have been here.”

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Mission Celebration

Return of the Swallows festivities will take place at Mission San Juan Capistrano on both Saturday and the following Thursday. Here are highlights of both days’ activities:

Saturday

7 a.m. Mission gates open

8:15 Bells signal return of swallows

9:30 Brenda Von Gremp sings “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”*

10 Aztec dancers**

10:45 Folk dancers

11:30 Dancing by Juaneno Band of Mission Indians

2-3:30 p.m. Various dancing groups

3:30 U.S. Air Force Golden West Wings

* Also at 1 p.m.

** Also at 1:15 p.m.

Thursday, March 19--Feast of St. Joseph

8:15 a.m. Bells signal return of swallows

8:30 Mass at new church

9:30 Gina Rene sings “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano”*

11:15 San Juan Elementary School performance

2:15 p.m. Dancing by Juaneno Band of Mission Indians

3:15 Aztec dancers

* Also at 1 p.m.

Mariachi band will perform both days and docents will provide tours

Source: Mission San Juan Capistrano