I hope no one will mind if I repeat what has become a yearly heads-up
about cave swallows. They are rare, and a relatively new and interesting
phenomenon here, so I think more people than I will be interested in
this. More or less on schedule, a cave swallow was reported yesterday
along the Toronto waterfront.
        These birds seem to move up the Atlantic seaboard, with some coming up
the St. Lawrence into the Great Lakes in recent autumns. They generally
are reported in Ohio in early November, but may get here earlier than that.
        This species was first noticed in Ohio in 2005, with premonitory
sightings farther east in the Great Lakes noticed as early as 23 October
since then. Not noticed here until early November last year, they were
eventually seen way down south at Rocky Fork Lake, so any swallows seen
in Ohio over the next month or so should be carefully examined.
        These swallows most closely resemble the common cliff swallow, but
cliff swallows are long gone for the year. Check any small swallow with
a contrasting buff/orange rump for the salient field-marks, especially
the colors on the brow and the throat; please report any good finds.
Bill Whan
Columbus


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