English and Scientific names:	Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva)
Number of individuals:	7 on 6/5; at least 4 of which were juveniles. 16 [estimated] on 6/8; many juveniles, but exact count not possible due to number and movement of birds. 8 on 8/3.
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Vermilion
Specific Locality:	4 miles S of Gueydan, at the intersection of Hwy 91 and Spencer Road.
Date(s) when observed:	6/5-8/3/2010
Time(s) of day when observed:	evenings on 6/5, 6/8, morning on 8/3
Reporting observer and address:	Paul Conover
Other observers accompanying reporter who also identified the bird(s):
Other observers who independently identified the bird(s)
Light conditions (position of bird in relation to shade and to direction and amount of light):	various and in sunny and cloudy conditions. birds at all angles, in flight and perched.
Optical equipment:	zeiss 10s, nikon fieldscope III 20-60, nikon d50 w/200 mm lens, sony 60x optical zoom video.
Distance to bird(s):	from 10 feet to 50 yards
Duration of observation:	hours
Habitat:	intersection of 2 canals and roads, with 2 bridges on roads. rice agricultural/marsh country a few miles N of pure marsh.
Behavior of bird:	all birds flying, perching, juveniles begging, adults flying under bridges.
Description:	adults in june somewhat faded examples of typical cave swallows. with buffy throats and pale napes, rusty foreheads setting off darker (appeared blue-back) crowns. underparts pale with varying degrees of dingy breastbands and blurry flank streaking. upperparts darker, but clearly not fresh dark blue; more a faded brownish black as though gloss had worn off. rump buffy. by august, molt clearly underway. body molt visible on crown and forehead, and fresh buffy feathers visible against worn pale (almost white in some cases) feathering on auriculars, throat, and chin. I was also able to see some wing molt on adults, with fresh inner primaries, a gap, then older outer primaries. fledglings differed from adults markedly or slightly, perhaps according to age. some birds appeared very fresh, with scalloped mantle feathers and flight feathers, lightly buffy faces, chins, and throats. some very young birds had partially grown, stubby tails. some of these had distinct dark areas on auriculars as can be seen in some photos accompanying record. birds that I took be to older fledglings lacked these auricular marks, but otherwise looked like more worn or faded versions of younger birds. many, if not all of the young birds had dingy breastbands below the buff of the throat. in some cases the buff was very pale and the breastband looked isolated and dark in contrast.
Voice:	the caves were calling, but i can’t describe the call. it sounded like the recorded calls I played to attempt to lure them closer for a count.
Similar species:	from barn swallows by pale rumps. juveniles from cliff swallows by throats with at least some buff coming in, no darker feathering on throat and chin, and by the suggestion of the adult cave swallow head pattern. in areas where juvenile cliffs have been present, their head patterns have resembled the basic pattern of adult cliffs, and obvious darker chestnut feathering has been present in the auriculars, chin, and throat, with a sprinkling of whitish feathers. obviously, resolving the appearance of cave vs. cliff in juvenile plumage could easily lead to a circular argument. for this reason, I have been documenting the plumages of young birds as well as I can The caveat that young Cliffs resembling Caves are said to exist—accurately?—and are a wild card is always an issue. Nonetheless, that would only pertain to a small number of the birds here.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	yes.
Previous experience with this species:	a bit, and I am acquiring more by the month.
Identification aids:
This description is written from:
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes
Date and time:	08/03/2010