This
page is
http://home.wi.rr.com/phunter1/CaveSwallowsMilw051113.html
... 11/14/05
Site Navigation: HOME
-- Checklist
-- Park
Map -- City Map
-- Photos
-- Links
Identification Tips, Photo and Map of Breeding Area:
http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i6121id.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email messages below were posted to Wisconsin
Bird Net listserv.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: recent CAVE SWALLOW reports in the Great Lakes region
From: "William Mueller" <iltlawas AT earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 16:23:03 -0600
William P. Mueller, Milwaukee, WI , (414) 643-7279
http://home.earthlink.net/~iltlawas/index.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Photos of Cave Swallows in New York in 2002: http://www.oceanwanderers.com/CaSwNY02.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Cave Swallows in MI --- when in WI???
From: "William Mueller" <iltlawas@earthlink.net>
Date: Fri, 11 Nov 2005 9:40 AM
[Cave Swallows were] Reported in Michigan ... in the last few days, by
the folks at the Southeastern Michigan Raptor Research group (see them
on the web at http://www.smrr.net/) When will someone find this
species in Wisconsin?
William P. Mueller, Milwaukee, WI, (414) 643-7279
http://home.earthlink.net/~iltlawas/index.html
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Cave Swallows in MI --- when in WI???
From: "Tom PRESTBY" <jjprestby AT msn.com>
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2005 5:44 PM
Today the unprecedented invasion of Cave Swallows spread into Indiana
with 15-20 birds being seen along the Lake Michigan Shoreline. One has
to wonder If Wisconsin is next in line or if some of these birds are
cruising the Wisconsin Lake Mich. shoreline as we speak.....
Tom Prestby, Madison
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Cave Swallows in MI --- when in WI???
From: "Steve Lubahn" <slubahnj AT netzero.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 8:08: AM
Today, with gusty winds, the lakeshore would not be a bad spot to hang
out. Concordia? Harrington? I gotta work or else I'd be out there. Come
on folks, someone give it a try.
Steve Lubahn, Milwaukee
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: what will it be?
From: Betsyacorn AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 09:45: AM
Do we strap the scopes to our bodies before attempting to discover said
new species?! I'll give the lakefront a try, but figure
I'll have to locate below any bluffs to get a stable view. Or take
flying lessons in the process.
Betsy Abert, South Milwaaaaaaaaayyyyeeeeeeee Top of Page Subject: Probable Cave Swallow
Milwaukee
From: "John Idzikowski" <idzikoj AT uwm.edu>
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 12:00:43 -0500
While visiting N Point this morning a single probable Cave Swallow flew
south along the shoreline just over my head at 9:25 a.m. The pale rump
was seen as the bird headed away. As it briefly banked the pale throat
was noted, but I could not get a satisfactory look at the forehead.
Another swallow flew by 10 minutes later and was also seen by Steve
Lubahn, but we could not get much on that bird due to poor light altho
in my mind the shape was clearly Cave/Cliff. I have never seen such a
movement in November of Cliff Swallows along the Lake Michigan
shoreline.
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: ALERT: SWALLOWS GALORE
From: Betsyacorn AT aol.com
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 4:14:PM EST
Bob Domagalski and Bill Mueller have seen a half dozen to dozen
swallows at South Metro Sewage Treatment Plant/Pier in Oak Creek
off of 5th Avenue. They are either Cliff or Cave
Swallows. The neck and throat is dull orange, more dull than the
orange rump, but they couldn't see the color above the
bill. But they are watching as I write, and they believe there is
a good chance they are CAVE SWALLOWS. An hour of daylight remains
today, but Bill believes they will likely stay til tomorrow.
Bring camera, please, if you chose to come. Whether they are
Cliff or Cave, it is a significant find, according to Bob D.
Betsy Abert,
South Milwaukee.
----------------------------------------------------------
Subject: 14-18 likely CAVE SWALLOWS at the South Metro Sewage Treatment
Plant/Pier in Oak Creek
From: "William Mueller" <iltlawas AT earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 6:07 PM
As Bob Domagalski will no doubt post in additional detail later this
evening, (and Betsy Abert has already posted) we did indeed find
between 12-18 (perhaps 20?) swallows that are most likely CAVE SWALLOWS
at the South Metro Sewage Treatment Plant/Pier in Oak Creek off of 5th
Avenue, this afternoon.
Take I-94 to Ryan Road, go east to Howell, back north a it to Puetz
Road. The go east all the way to 5th Avenue and turn north again.
Go about a block north. Look for the north-most entrance to the
treatment facility. At some times of the year, one can drive into a
parking lot for fishing access. Right now that lot is gated and locked,
but you can still walk in, and walk all the way down the steps to the
pier.
We watched these birds for several hours in constantly changing light
conditions, until we had numerous views of these birds from many
angles. The light-orange-colored throat, chestnut or cinnamon forehead
on may birds, and orange rump was plainly visible, but only for brief
periods on each bird. Birds flew immediately overhead on dozens of
occasions, and I repeatedly heard call notes that were unlike Cliff
Swallow vocalizations - more like a "swit" or "kvit".
Bob and I and Betsy each climbed to perch on the steel seawall that
surrounds the treatment plant. Bob and I both think that what would be
useful here would be a light aluminum stepladder (no, I'm not joking),
so that one could mount a scope on top and see over the wall (and a
camera-mounted scope might provide a photograph). I have no doubt that
continued climbing on this wall will eventually be prohibited. While one
can plainly see the birds when they fly up and over the treatment
ponds/tanks, a better view is from the wall (or, using a lightweight
ladder, OVER the wall).
Because it was afternoon and the light was challenging at times, it was
often difficult to see all necessary field marks at once - the birds
are in constant motion and actively feeding. But over the course of
several hours we collectively saw good views of many of these birds,
and there were perhaps 7-9 in view at once from below the wall, or
14-18 when one was ON the wall, and could see the treatment
ponds/tanks. Morning light MAY be better. I do expect these birds may
stay more than a day or so. No doubt these birds were very hungry, and
may not readily leave this easily-exploited food source until they have
built up their fat reserves again.
Also seen here today were one first -year Franklin's Gull, a Northern
Harrier, 3 Horned Grebes, 8-10 Yellow-rumped Warblers, and a few Tree
Sparrows, along with 250 or so Bonaparte's Gulls, many Ring-bills, a few
Herrings, Mallards, Canada Geese, Mourning Doves, and other common
species throughout the afternoon.
Bill Mueller, Milwaukee, WI , (414) 643-7279
http://home.earthlink.net/~iltlawas/index.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Cave Swallow Digital - S Metro CLOSED - NOT?
From: Karen Johnson & Jim Toth <kmjrt AT sbcglobal.net>
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 10:44:31 -0800 (PST)
John and all,
A number of us were there this AM from 0930-1100 with no problems at
all. Perhaps they simmered down a bit. I returned at around
1200
and more folks were parked and birding there without incident.
3-16 CAVE SWALLOWS were seen flying low over parking lot and high over
sewage tanks during that hour and a half. 1st-year FRANKLIN'S
GULL and
LITTLE GULL seen regularly on the beach and over tanks.
SE wind kicked up a little driving swallows inland. We went
inland a
little to search for them with no luck.
--- John Idzikowski wrote:
Trying to take pictures when the swallows would occasionally show
themselves over the steel wall was extremely difficult in poor light, a
small step ladder would have been great. I got some poor shots. This
one is rather distinctive in indicating Cave Swallow showing the light
throat and collar; the light patch on the forehead if this were a Cliff
would be easily seen in this exposure; a juv. Cliff with a dark
forehead would not show this throat color. Other shots I have are
inconclusive.
http://my.execpc.com/CE/5F/idzikoj/misc/casw2.jpg
The security people at the treatment facility adjacent to S Metro
Pier were quite upset this morning by the presence of 10 cars at the
closed gate and "called in" all the cars to the local police. ...
These birds may stay here for quite some time.
John Idzikowski, Milwaukee
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Cave Swallows not present PM
From: "Tom PRESTBY" <jjprestby AT msn.com>
Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 18:33:15 -0600
Nolan Pope, Steve Thiessen, and myself went to the South Metro Pier
today and the Cave Swallows were not present from 2:30pm until dusk (we
had no problems with the security). Other birders told us that these
birds left earlier to go inland as the winds shifted out of the east.
Plenty of insects around so lets hope these birds return. Please post
any findings or lack thereof for these birds. Good Birding!
Tom Prestby, Madison
------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://tinyurl.com/bdlrh
REVIEW OF THE OCCURRENCE OF VAGRANT CAVE SWALLOWS IN THE UNITED
STATES AND CANADA
Issn: 0273-8570 Journal: Journal of Field Ornithology Volume: 72 Issue:
4 Pages: 485-503
Authors: McNair, Douglas B., Post, William
DOI: 10.1043/0273-8570(2001)072<0485:ROTOOV>2.0.CO;2
ABSTRACT
We review the extralimital occurrence of Cave
Swallows (Petrochelidon fulva) in the United States and Canada since
the 1960s. Nineteen (29%) of 65 occurrences not associated with an
incursion in late autumn 1999 have been verified with photographs or
specimens. Spring specimens of the West Indian subspecies P. fulva
fulva are from Alabama and Nova Scotia; the subspecies of a Cave
Swallow salvaged in Mississippi in spring is uncertain. Autumn
specimens of the southwestern subspecies P. fulva pallida are from
North and South Carolina. Cave Swallows measured and photographed at
Cliff Swallow (P. pyrrhonota) breeding colonies in Arizona and Nebraska
were P. f. pallida, as well as one bird photographed at a Cliff and
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) colony in Louisiana along the
Mississippi line. Photographs of Cave Swallows in spring at California
and in late autumn at New York were P. f. pallida. Subspecies could not
be determined for six other records verified by photographs. Most of 46
sight observations of Cave Swallows have been reported at similar
locations, seasons, and times as the verified records. Extralimital
Cave Swallows in the United States and Canada have occurred along the
Atlantic and Gulf coasts and in the interior, especially during spring
and late autumn, and extralimital occurrences in the 1999 incursion
matched the pattern in other years. The majority of birds on the Gulf
coast occurred before the 1990s, mainly in spring, and on the Atlantic
coast and in the interior during the 1990s, mainly in late autumn. The
pattern of extralimital occurrence is consistent with changes in the
breeding and winter status of the two subspecies. In Texas, breeding
and overwintering populations of P. f. pallida have rapidly increased
since the mid 1980s, in contrast to the slight increase of breeding
populations of P. f. fulva in southeastern Florida. Subject: Post Cave Swallow
Weather Dissection
From: "John Idzikowski" <idzikoj@uwm.edu>
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 2005 17:42:04 -0600
For those who have not had enough of Cave Swallows in Wisconsin I
prepared a
simple webpage on the weather system related to this extraordinary
event.
Has any other species been seen as a first of state in a flock? This
will
now no doubt become a yearly "expected" event and observers will hit the
lakefront in late Oct. This is a first draft of this page; please send
comments and corrections-
John Idzikowski, Milwaukee
Subject: Cave Swallow - Digital
From: "Mike McDowell" <mmcdowell@tds.net>
Date: Sun, 20 Nov 2005 15:55:45 -0600
WisBirders,
I was able to secure two tripod legs over one of the wall's 90 degree
bends,
the other leg and the center-post on the opposite side, firmly locking
down
my scope & digital camera atop the barrier wall. I only
managed to get one
shot off @ 4X optical zoom & 20X on the eyepiece while the swallow
was
perched on a railing:
I was about to attempt a higher magnification docu-shot, but the bird
flew!
Oh well. Still, it looks pretty good for CAVE SWALLOW to me!
As reported this morning, the RED PHALAROPE remained at North Point /
Milwaukee:
http://www.birddigiscoping.com/redphalarope.jpg
Mike McDowell
Waunakee - Dane County
mmcdowell@tds.net
http://www.birddigiscoping.com/ Subject: Re:Cave Swallow Specimen
form Oostburg!!
From: "John Idzikowski" <idzikoj@uwm.edu>
Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2005 10:17:46 -0600
The Nov. 16th timing is perfect re the massive incursion beginning on
the 13th with that big Low pressure system- Mike McDowell's shot from S
Metro also depicts an imm. bird showing the light fringes to the scaps
and terts.
John I. Milwaukee
----- Original Message -----
From: Richter Museum
To: Wisconsin Birding Network
Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 10:14 AM
Subject: [wisb] Cave Swallow Specimen form Oostburg!!
Today, Shannon Kuester, one of Dr. Bob Howe's Biodiversity
students presented a very nice, immature, Cave Swallow to the Richter
Museum. It was found at a lakeshore home at Oostburg, Sheboygan county
on 16 November 2005. Wisconsin now has a specimen record!