SWOOP GUIDE
Our own Rhus Rhaddicans has often handed out this advice: Go to swoops for gear upgrades when you start. I did this, and it is definitely a leg up. So, a guide is in order.
Access to Mondain's Legend or 9th anniversary REQUIRED. You MUST HAVE POSITIVE KARMA click the link to see appropriate positive titles. Looking at the chart, you may have karma of "no title" or above. "Rude" or below, you will get killed.
Monster information courtesy of UO.stratics.com
First, as a starting player, you will want to obtain better resists on armor for a warrior, as well as better weapons and jewelry. Mage will want to obtain medable Lower Reagent Cost items to defray reagent costs. How does your 1k gold allow you to do that?
What are Swoops?
-
They are Purple named eagles. 
Why Swoops?
- They are non agressive, won't attack you unless you attack them.
- The area they spawn in is NORMALLY safe, with no agressive spawn in the general area.
- However you must be aware of
CHANGELINGS 
. If you see one, run to the sparklies.
- Swoops have one of the higher loot tables, so they drop more items, and higher intensities per item.
This is how you will upgrade your gear.
- Swoops can be skinned for a resource, feathers, which are emminently saleable.
How do I loot them?
- Since you are not an attacker, you can only loot them after they go "grey". When the name of the corpse is blue, you may not loot it (in Felluca you can). When it turns grey, you will be able to access the corpse. The timer is
2 minutes of blue,
5 minutes of grey.
Okay, I am sold!!! How do I get there?
First, as stated above you MUST have access to Mondains Legacy or 9th anniversary.
Second, you must get a quest in Heartwood. This is called the dreadhorn quest.
To get the quest, you must first go to Heartwood. Go to any moongate, and select "trammel" Then "Yew". travel north west until you reach the center of Yew.
Thanks to MERTH and ALLY for the pictures. 
Go through the sparklies.
Find
LoreKeeper Calendor 
Now exit Heartwood.
Go back to the moongate.
At the moongate, select "Ilshenar" then Spirituality.
You MUST HAVE POSITIVE KARMA click the link to see appropriate positive titles. Looking at the chart, you may have karma of "no title" or above.
"Rude" or below, you will get killed.
YOu are now at spirituality Shrine
Go North-North West, following the wall to the first cave. No dangers here unless you are negative Karma (pixies are known to fly down here)
Inside the cave, go to the right to the Sparklies. No dangers inside the cave.
Inside the sparklies, you are in the Twisted Weald. there are many creatures here, but ONLY the changeling and (possibly) the dire wolves are a danger.
Do NOT GO INTO THE DESERT AREA 
Go north until you see the purple swoop bodies
Introduce yourself. :walk: You never know who will offer to lend you a hand in getting outfitted. Be polite here. Not required, but if you are new, friends are more important than ANY loot.