Sunday morning (16th) just after 8am, the sky was an even mix of blue and clouds with morning sun lighting up the yard, the air calm after Saturday's blowing. I was sitting at a north-facing, 2nd story window in my home doing GBBC observations of my yard. I noticed a dark-colored bird a block or two off flying rapidly south towards the house; as it approached, my interest immediately picked up as I better saw the style of its flight. When flapping, there was the appearance that just the outer half/ends of the wings were moving almost in a blur-;extremely rapidly. Not sure what it was, I grabbed my little 8x binoculars and had a good look for the moments before it disappeared over the roof and out of my view. It appeared completely dark in color the entire time; the light was good, morning sun coming in low from the east, and the bird was relatively close/low but also somewhat silhouetted against the sky. At one point it made a bit of a stall maneuver, turned a bit, glided a moment and then resumed flapping and gliding in an arcing turn that took it from a SSE heading to more of SSW. Unfortunately I was not able to get a photo.
Watching it both with and without binoculars, my first impression/thought was "oh-my-gosh it's a Swift!" I had a clear view of it's outline as it flew low almost directly overhead...very narrow, back-curving wings, small head relative to length...it just did not speak to me of anything else in those moments, even though seeing a swift was the last thing I was thinking of that morning. I am always on the lookout for early Spring swallows and knew that juvenile Barn Swallows were recently reported...but that is not what the bird I saw evoked. The narrow wings and flight did not seem right for that. I've seen swifts many times, in Europe mostly, and Vaux once up in Monroe. I grew up in a local rural setting and have seen Barn Swallows all my life, and bats in flight on numerous occasions including in good light. I can unequivocally say this was not a bat. This bird also seemed just a bit larger than a Barn Swallow.
So...having learned that Black Swifts are still supposed to be over 2500 miles south of the Puget Sound area at this time of year, I am at a loss what to think and am wondering if anybody else has had a "near-swift" experience recently, or has any thoughts to share on this situation? Given the wonky status of climate/Mother Nature in general lately, I firmly believe anything is possible, while also realizing there might be a Non-Swift explanation; I am open to input and information.
Dee Warnock
Edmonds
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