Cliff Swallow at Milne Dam Conservation area

[Rotarran]

I spent a bit of time after work birding at Milne Dam Conservation area at McCowan and Hwy 7.  Although I did not see anything too crazy, I did find a single Cliff Swallow among the 75 or so Tree, Rough-Winged and Barn Swallows.  

I`m not sure exactly how rare Cliff Swallows are but in my experience they`re far rarer than any other Swallow ...at least in Southern Ontario.  Usually you don`t get to see more than 1 or 2 at a time, whereas all the other Swallows very abundant.  

Anyway, if it`s still around tomorrow and flying around in the same place, it's best viewed from the main sandy beach near the benches.  The white forehead is quite evident even without binoculars.  I tried taking pictures but my camera has a hard time with such fast moving creatures...this is the best pic I could snap...more of a reference than anything else.

[thouc]

In my experience in Toronto Cliff Swallows are more common than Bank Swallow or Purple Martin.

[BetCrooks]

If anyone wants to see Cliff Swallows very easily, a bit later in the year they will be nesting all over the building that houses the Compass restaurant at Bronte Marina. So you can stand underneath the nests and watch the birds fly in and out. (There's quite a bit of glare off the stucco though.) (When Bronte Rd reaches Lake Ontario, it turns to the east becoming Ontario St; the marina is about a block along Ontario St. There is a huge free parking lot and a children's park.)
Unfortunately the house sparrows will take over about half of the nests, forcing them to give up or re-build.

There is often a pair or two of Barn Swallows nesting in the bandstand gazebo roof, too.

There are usually Rough Winged swallows nesting in the sand bluffs facing Lake Ontario at Arkendo Park in Oakville.

I haven't seen a Bank Swallow colony in the west end but Reuven Martin has reported on his website that they were nesting under the bridge at Dundas and the Credit River last year, so I guess I'll have to try to check that out this year.

[Rotarran]

Yeah I guess I can only go on my experience.  In truth, this is probably half a lifer for me.  I say half because the first time I saw a Cliff Swallow it was by taking random pictures of a huge number of swallows and I just happened to accidentally snap one of a Cliff as well.  I was not aware of it at the time in the field.  But this time I was aware of it, I saw it and enjoyed seeing it fly and do its thing.  It was the first time I consciously observed a Cliff Swallow.

Bank Swallow - I see these quite often in the east end.  I saw quite a number at Oshawa 2nd Marsh on Monday.  Last year I saw what must have been thousands of Swallows at Lynde Creek Shore and there must have been hundreds of every species.  Except Cliff...I did not see one Cliff and trust me I tried.

Roughies - I've seen these fairly regularly recently, always a few mixed in with Tree Swallows

Purple Martins - true, these are uncommon but I saw quite a few at the Bayview Brickworks last year.  Again no Cliffs.  

Swifts - I see quite a number at variuos times at Downsview and near my parents place at Keele & Wilson.  They live at the top floor of a building and so you get to see some birds up there that you wouldn't normally from the ground.

Bats - I saw bats last year late in the summer around 8pm to 9pm at Milne Dam...if anyone's curious, you should check it out.  Yeah I know these are mammals, but Swallows, Swifts, Martins, and Bats all fly in these random patterns that are just mind boggling