Possible Black Swift over Tecolote Canyon

This morning I birded the Genesee to Balboa section of Tecolote Canyon, since nobody has done so at this time of year since it became an eBird hotspot.  Notable birds that I'm sure of include Lincoln's Sparrow, a first for that hotspot, and Black-Chinned Hummingbird, which I'm pretty sure is a first.  A Green Heron lurked by the cement pipe that goes under Genesee.  That's only the second time this species has been recorded in this hotspot. There was still one each of Pacific Slope Flycatcher and Hutton's Vireo.

At noon, waiting for the light to change so I could cross Genesee to my parked car, I espied a large, dark swift, flying west about 80 feet over the south rim of the canyon, and about 250 feet away.  I reflexively raised my camera, but alas, I had already put the lens cap back on.  I couldn't even fumble my bins in place for an attempt at a magnified look.  So, to my naked eye, the flight appeared slow for a swift, and featured a slight side to side rocking motion.  It flew pretty directly west until it was lost from view in a few seconds.  There was no white underneath, and it wasn't a swallow (wrong flight style, and this bird had long, pointy, and slightly swept back wings).  I suspect this was a Black Swift, but it since I could have misjudged the size of the bird and was unable to get pics, it could also be a big, slow Vaux's.  I called it a Swift sp. with comment.  This is within the time frame for Black Swifts to show up in the fall, per the atlas, though they are rarer than in spring.  For Vaux's, the atlas is sketchy, talking only of the 8th & Broadway flock starting September 4th.

Checklist (which will have a few photos of the hummingbird later) here:  https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S48094357

Tuck Russell
Hillcrest
Source: SanDiegoRegionBirding Latest Reports