I have to say I'm jealous, we used to have 3 different types of swallows here, Barn Swallows by the dozens and every March the Violet Greens and the Tree Swallows arrived. Barn Swallows made their nests in the most inconvenient places but we let them be. The other two we put nest boxes up for them behind knotholes or man made in a couple of our sheds. We had either one or the other but never the Violet Greens and the Tree Swallows at the same time. I haven't seen any of these birds in our garden for at least 10-15 years. Come to think of it I haven't seen Purple Finches or House Finches either in the last 5-10 years .
Capistrano is a hop and a skip from where my parents met, in Laguna Beach.
I was in the garden this week and a Barn swallow flew over. ID'ed that one pretty quick because of the tail . But, shortly after, another swallow went by. Thought, "Tree" but couldn't see that area of white along the sides that would identify it as a Violet Green, on that cloudy day.
Confident that neither were Cliff swallows and they tend not to venture far from their nests under the bridges along the river.
I guess what we have are barn swallows. They are so interesting to watch swoop and dip in the fields and yard. I have seen one play with a chicken feather, carrying it up in the air, dropping it and swooping to catch it before it hits the ground.
I have them inn my barn every summer. They are very quick moving. You can get a good look at them when they are resting in the barn-they are so beautiful..They dive bomb my cats when they get too near..