ML424880891

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

When I arrived it was overcast with a moderate SW wind and spitting rain. As I made my way down the dikes, I noticed a good chunk of swallows over the ponds. I was looking for pale rump patches in hopes of picking out a CLSW that should be just starting to filter in. About 20 meters north of the dike that runs between the south and middle ponds, I saw a pale-rumped swallow fly by. I stopped the car and watched, expecting to see a straight forward CLSW. Instead, the bird I saw did not have a dark chin, looked small, and very warm colored. I slammed the car in park and jumped out with my camera. I began taking as many pictures as I could. Hendrik H. was driving up behind me and before he came to a stop I started pointing. When he pulled up, I told him that I saw a weird Cliff-type swallow that may have been a Cave. We picked it out moments later, this time getting better looks at the underside. I looked at some of my photos and immediately sent out a tentative RBA. We continued to watch the bird and became convinced that it was, in fact, a CASW (!!!!!). Over the next hour or more other observers arrived and were able to see the bird. The swallow flock would frequently leave and then circle back, sometimes high and hard to see, but sometimes lower where we could pick out the CASW. Overall, this bird was tiny, similar in structure to VGSW, and not bulky, like CLSW. It flapped a lot more, and glided less than I frequently see CLSW doing; however, this may have been because of the windy weather. The overall plumage was warmer colored than CLSW; flank streaking, and forehead, rump, and throat coloration are all consistent with CASW and not of CLSW or any other North American swallow. The bird did not vocalize. Also of note was the amount of wear on the flight feathers and possibly a molt limit in the primaries. Still in shock. Just wow. I thought that CASW would show up in Oregon one day, but figured it would be in the fall. What the hell is it doing here in March?! This represents Oregon's first record if accepted by the OBRC.

Technical information

Model

ILCE-7M3

Lens

FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS

ISO

1000

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/5.6

Shutter speed

1/2500 sec

Dimensions

1473 pixels x 1124 pixels

Original file size

201.4 KB