English and Scientific names:	Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva)
Number of individuals:	4
Locality: LOUISIANA:	Jeff Davis
Specific Locality:	About 1 mile NE of Thornwell on Potter Road
Date(s) when observed:	8/28/2010
Time(s) of day when observed:	About 6pm
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):	Not bad. Sun was low to the W, I was SSE and below birds. Sun was going behind clouds intermittently.
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 yards to 50 yards
Duration of observation:	About 10 minutes
Habitat:	Telephone line in pasture lands. Birds were resting in late afternoon.
Behavior of bird:	Perched, with some resettling going on in a mixed flock of about 20 Cliff, Cave, Barn, Bank, and Tree Swallows.
Description:	Chunky square-tailed swallows with broad dark eyelines and lores, and restricted dark crown caps set off by buffy throats, rusty/buffy foreheads, and pale napes. Underparts whitish, dingy band across upper breast. I first noted the Caves mixed in from a long way off. I noted the key features and compared them to nearby Cliffs, satisfied myself as to their ID, and took steps to get photos. I couldn’t see the dorsal areas well, and the birds drifted away before I was able to study them thoroughly.
Voice:
Similar species:	The obviously buffy throat and the capped appearance eliminates other swallows. At least one bird was next to a Cliff Swallow, and the direct comparison was enough to dispel any confusion between the darker throat of Cliff and buffy throat of Cave.
Photographs or tape recordings obtained?	yes.
Previous experience with this species:	I am starting to see these birds on almost every birding trip. I think this will be the norm from here on out.
Identification aids:
This description is written from:
Are you positive of your identification? If not, explain:	Yes
Date and time:	08/28/2010