The distinctive feature between the Barn and Cliff SwallowsPetrpchelidon pyrrhonota is the presence of a rusty forehead in the Barn Swallow and a white forehead in the Cliff Swallow. In August birds (except Hummingbirds) may be sparse the Del Apache National Wildlife Reserve in NM. However, as we drove along one of the roads we came upon thousands of Cliff Swallows Petrochelidon pyrrhonota loading every branch of three large trees 7665.
The 9000 series Cliff Swallows were photographed at a Sandhill Crane preserve in the Whitewater Draw Wildlife Area east of Tombstone, AZ. They were rapidly darting throughout the sky and I just pointed my Canon 50D with a 70-200 mm lens and 2X extender and shot. Usually this results in an unproductive out of focus blob. What a pleasure to get three of swallows in great focus with their white forehead, greenish crown, rust colored cheeks, black wings and rust colored rump.
The 2000 series photos were taken at the Boulder Creek Golf Course at the bridge between hole 10 and 11. Many of them were clustered around a muddy spot possibly for nest building.