A few suggestions about finding cave swallows. A nice blow from the SW
could still bring in more, and maybe NE winds could keep some still
present from moving out. The relatively warm weather will not
necessarily concentrate them all on bodies of water especially, but
that's where most of us look for them.
        One thing that doesn't get mentioned is that these are CAVE swallows,
addicted to sheltered areas, especially roofed overhead, where they
roost and nest. Decades ago they were found only in a few large caverns
in the south, but since then they quickly spread into the countryside,
and now are to be found seasonally in almost every culvert in Texas it
seems.
        Many records here in the Great Lakes region have come from places like
under roofs of lakeside picnic shelters, restrooms, etc., and from
structures like bridges, piers, and the like---especially when weather
requires them to take shelter. This has been noted by day, and is likely
even more common by night. Ohio's only specimen came from a roofed front
porch in Lakewood. When birds are not actually perched in such
situations, they may be nearby, especially at dusk or in bad weather. It
might help to consider them taking shelter like bats, crowding into
sheltered niches shielded from above, so if none are flying, they might
still be around, perching beneath shelters on beams and supports. This
provides a potentially rewarding strategy to add to just watching for
migrants passing offshore.
Bill Whan
Columbus

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