I know it's been said, but here was my experience:
At 39 I was chant kiting (started two levels or so earlier) in DSP, but the exp slowed and I got bored. Couldn't figure out swarm kiting there due to the Luclkin lag, so I went to Ulthorks in EW. There I quickly learned to swarm kite as you have to make a mistake to take any damage with Selos. I must say that I've never gone back to straight chant kiting if I could help it. I went from 40 to 42 in EW perfecting my swarm kiting ability took a day or two and got 9 tusks out of the deal which landed me a diamond and a ruby from the otters). Spent a day or so trying to raise faction with CoV before baging it and heading to Timorous Deep and swarming Spirocs. I just left there after 3 days of taking as many birds as I could get to agro me (sharing the camp like a good bard by letting anyone that asked pull from my pile) at level 47. I plan on starting my epic now, then heading to Wyverns in CS if my faction is dubious. If it's not it's a run to Kael for some faction if I can get a guildie group together.
In all, aside from 45, which I still believe to be a heck level, the exp flew by, and pulling from the top got a lot easier at 46 when my Singing Steel boots proc'd so I didn't need to twist selos and lev while traversing the narrow ramps being chased by a handful of birds.
In hindsight, with your 39th level charm song (needed for all birds but the lightfoots, and lasting much longer so it's worth using anyway despite the mana drain), I would suggest heading directly to Spirocs at 39 and watch the levels tick away like seconds on a clock. Swarm kiting, harder than druid quad kiting (I know - 54 druid) but so much more rewarding!
Only regret is that my weapon skills are stuck at 190-195 as I only group for guild raids nowadays. Some day I'll sacrifice exp and fear kite something near my level for a day to hopefully raise them up.
Hope this helps. I have tried paladins, shaman, necros, warriors, monks, druids and now bards, and hands down, bards are more enjoyable, more diverse and more of a challenge than any other class I know. Love being a bard!
Sinfonian Barelytone, bard of the 47th song