SOUTHLAND : Swallows Live Up to Tradition
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SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Swallows made their traditional St. Joseph’s Day appearance in this old mission town today as hundreds of residents and visitors cheered the fork-tailed birds’ return.
From the mission church courtyard, residents Paul Arbiso, 96, and Frank Velasquez, 68, spotted a small group of swallows flying above the 214-year-old mission. They pulled ropes to ring the four church bells to formally celebrate the birds’ migratory return from Argentina.
A handful of swallows and dozens of pigeons flew from the mission eaves to nearby treetops during the two-minute ringing of the bells.
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