Rather slow, however with 27 FOTE today, I've now broken the the entire season total from last year!
Other then that, in the second hour two pale rumped swallows were seen feeding 1/4 mile or more out over the lake. In the next hour they came inshore and made a couple passes past the pier so I took some crappy photos. And then they departed (along with the Barn Swallow flock) inland.
Bird A was a classic adult CLSW, except for it having a red patch on the forehead (SW US?).
Bird B (pictured below) was slightly wrong for a CLSW.
If this was November this would be a easy ID. But its August, sooooooo things get complicated. Going off the ratty plumage, and (what looks like to me) wing moult (compare to this juvie CLSW from the 10th), Pyle says this is a adult bird (assuming I'm reading it right), so we can eliminate allllllllllllll the variations within juvenile CLSW and go straight to adult pale rumped swallows.
Which leaves us with two options, adult Cliff or adult Cave Swallow. The pale throat, face, auriculars, and lores all point to this bird being a Cave Swallow!
The only problem with that is all the CASW records from Michigan are from Oct. 16-Nov. 21 (the only Tiscornia records are five on Oct. 27 2010, and one on Nov. 9, 2011). And Indiana's only records are from November.
So now what?
The only problem with that is all the CASW records from Michigan are from Oct. 16-Nov. 21 (the only Tiscornia records are five on Oct. 27 2010, and one on Nov. 9, 2011). And Indiana's only records are from November.
So now what?
Well, I got a pizza.
Hey - if this bird is really molting, it should be a CASW (CLSW molts flight feathers after migrating, even HYs). Hard to tell from the shot, does it look like P1 is missing? Or is P8 or 7 growing in?
ReplyDeleteThis is one bit of feedback Ive gotten thus far:
ReplyDelete"Not sure what to do with the bird from an age perspective. Remiges *appear* to be old and uniform, not fresh, which should indicate an adult. But how can an adult CLSW have that face??"
LOL
It diffidently looked to be in moult, moulting 1-2 primaries and was overall ratty and worn.