I found a Cave Swallow (Mexican race) here in Spalding County by my house, 08/10/06. It was in with 500+ other
swallows. The fields near my house were being cut, and the swallows were just swarming all around. I watched the
Cave fly by a handful of times as it made a huge circle around the area. I could see the top and bottom of the bird
quite well while studying its head and neck.
I attempted a number of photos, but they did not turn out well. I included a couple below and included a drawing
illustrating the position of the bird. Interestingly, the photos, as bad as they are, still show field marks
consistent with Cave Swallow.
The rump is light as can be seen in the photos. Fortunately the dark tail makes the light rump area visible
in the photo. The dark areas of the bird show up but the light areas are hard to see, ok very hard to see. That
is why the head is almost indistinquishable because except for the dark cap the head and throat were light on the bird.
This makes the bird look almost headless in the photo(s). A Cliff Swallow would show a dark head in the photos, in my
opinion.
I haven't really examined all the other photos, but I expect them to be of similar quality because of the limitations
of my inexpensive camera. I probably couldn't have gotten a good photo unless the bird were to perch somewhere.
Cave Swallows are accidental in GA but certainly increasing. Records/reports have been from Macon, Phinizy Swamp,
Augusta Brickyards, Lamar/Monroe County, now Spalding County, and the coast, and the dates of occurence have been Aug thru
Feb.
Eric Beohm
