I booked it to Niagara after Gavin's post this morning. After arriving I bumped into Marcia Jacklin but all she had seen in the 40 min. she was watching were possible N. rough-wingeds.
Shortly after she left I found a large group of swallows feeding south of the Old Pump House Building where Gavin had been seeing swallows. This was clearly the same group since they were no longer feeding on the adjacent river. 20-25 birds in all. I was less than 10 meters away at times and all birds were identified correctly. About 20 N. Rough-wingeds with a smattering of Bank Swallows. 1 rough-winged was in a tail moult I guess, as it threw me off several times. Outer tail feathers were very pale and inner ones very dark. This kept leading to my thinking that it was a CASW at a distance. It is very unlikely that this mornings observer was incorrect in his I.D. but there are no CASW currently in a group of the same size, in the same area as identified earlier. This is a VERY good indication to NOT be so willing to assume all swallows being seen now are Caves. This mornings observer correctly pointed out that he may be wrong in assuming to I.D. the other birds as Caves. I will give it another go when I have dried off but it is ugly out there! Cheers. Directions: Between the Old Pump House Building and Control Structure, above the Falls. Canadian side, east (river) side of Niagara River Parkway. Medium sized ponds housed aside from river. Feeding at back end and perching on dead snags and amongst live willow branched, fully leaved. Sent from Andrew's iPhone _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
