Cliff Swallows at the farm 9/5/10

Some notes about cliff swallows feeding at the farm towards dusk

One adult and four or five juvs feeding over the corn at 5 to 25 feet, range of 10-50 yards, gusty wind, moving towards sunset, 6/8 cloud viewed against high white and lower mid grey cloud and against corn fields soon to be harvested

Adult showed pale forehead and collar fairly easily but not from all angles.

Juvs appeared mostly dark head and throat sometimes with pale collar very vague.

Pale rump most obvious plummage mark juvs a dull pale orange buff, adult a brighter

Underparts pale
Underwing looked generally dull with darker forewing

Wing shape rather rounded for swallow ESP when banking - widening at base where meeting body

Tail very square (obviously so) in direct flight but clearly rounded when twisting and turning

Wing beats deeper than barn swallow with more obvious soaring (cp purple Martin jizz)