Glancing out the upstairs window Friday evening, a bit after sunset when there was still some brightness and color in the western sky and on the clouds, I spotted a rapidly moving bird right over our yard and then general neighborhood. It was a very dark bird, with narrow, sickle-shaped wings. I recognized it from shape and flight characteristics as a Swift, but although I have seen hundreds of Swifts in flight in a variety of settings, it has almost always been while in Europe, and never in Edmonds, so seeing one over our yard quite threw me for a moment.
I watched for about 5 minutes (both with and without binoculars) as it flew around the neighborhood, looping back closely over the yard a couple more times as well as several blocks further west, closer to the Sound. It was not alone, but I never saw more than two at once, alternately flying close to one another, then apart, then closer again, following roughly repeating circuits. I watched very carefully, and am pretty sure there was just the pair. I have little experience with our local Swifts and the lighting was not conducive to anything but distinct silhouettes. The fact that I could make them out several blocks away with my naked eyes even as it got duskier, leads me to think they were the larger Black Swift, particularly as the general size seemed similar to a Purple Martin. A Vaux just seems too small, however I would appreciate any input on the subject from those better versed in our local Swifts.

Dee Warnock
Edmonds