When I saw the swallow perched on the barbed wire fence, I thought it was a Tree Swallow.
With their blue body and white underbelly, Tree Swallows are a common sight feeding on the wing as they soar over the airport fields.
Along with the Barn Swallow, Tree Swallows are one of the most common swallows I see at the airport.
But when I looked more carefully at the bird, I saw the distinctive white forehead and cinnamon face of the Cliff Swallow.
A compact swallow, Cliff Swallows nest in the nearby old train tunnel, which makes it hard to see them.
The tunnel is now on property which is behind a tall fence, partially obscured by green fence slats meant to keep out curious eyes from the self-driving car research facility.
I’ve seen a few Cliff Swallows flying in and out of the tunnel, but I rarely get to see them close up. I was glad to see them today!
