Yesterday (3/27) there were quite a few (25 maybe) swallows at Kent
Ponds (Green River NRA). Almost all of them were Tree Swallows many of
whom were checking out the nest boxes but there were two Barn Swallows
among them. Oddly they looked like juveniles. Their undersides were
quite pale (but NOT white), tails forks were fairly shallow, backs had
much brown mixed in with the normal purple/blue. In fact they were dull
enough that when I first saw one sitting on the fence I though it was a
Cliff Swallow (but no - no pale rump, tail too forked, too much purple
on back). Normally I do not see Barn Swallows in March. Do they
typically have a molt at this time of year? Do juveniles retain
juvenile plumage until (late) spring? Is there some other species blown
in from Gondwanaland that looks like a beat-up, molting Barn Swallow?



Jim Elder

Meteor Communications Corporation
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