A Good Mistake

Cliff Swallows

Although, thanks to one of the county's finest birders, we know where to find and count Cliff Swallows each year, photographing them is a whole 'nother ball game. The place where they are known to nest is on a scary busy road. Stopping to point the camera can be life threatening.

And then...

The other day I rode up to L J Hands with the boss to get some paint to mark the wood pile at his cousin's house. Someone is pilfering when no one is there so.....

On the wire in front of the store were five swallows. A quick glance marked them as Barn Swallows, another species of which I had no photos....point, click, and then off to look and listen for other interesting birds to make a short list while the boss got his paint.

There was even a Wild Turkey crossing the road next to the parking lot....really you can bird anywhere......

Imagine my surprise when I took the photos off the camera a couple of days later and found that four of the five birds were indeed Cliff Swallows. Score!

Immature Barn Swallow...short tail with fleshy gape still visible at the corner of the beak