A SWIFT NIGHT OUT

2011

A Continent-wide Chimney Swift Roost Monitoring Project

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INDIVIDUAL REPORTS

Ridgewood, NJ

 

Here's a report from the George Washington Middle School, Ridgewood, New
Jersey (NE part of the State).

On Friday Sept. 9 (Swift Night Out Wknd.) - 1950 swifts entered. Weather
was clear and the last bird entered at 7:36, 20 minutes after sunset.

My highest count so far this season was 2400 on Friday Sept. 16. Weather
was mostly cloudy. Last bird entered at 7:25, 21 minutes after sunset.

Kurt Muenz

 

 

Southern Pines, NC

 

September 15, 2011
7:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Cloudy 70 deg. F. Winds - calm.
Southern Pines, NC Moore County
Southern Pines Elementary - near intersection of May St and East Massachusetts Ave.

This school has three separate chimneys and this year the swifts roosted in one that I have not seen them use before. The eastern most chimney.

Estimated 360 swifts.

Scott Hartley
Park Superintendent
Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve

 

 

Conway, SC

 

Sept. 10, 2011
CHSW: 270+/-
residential chimney
birds began entering approx. 1935 hrs, appeared to be "all in" at 2000 hrs.

i also have an observation/questions maybe you can shed some light on: during the night of Sept. 15 a cold front moved into the area, and on the morning of Sept. 16 i was filling bird feeders approx. 0700hrs before heading out to look for migrant songbirds. i heard the chitter of a fair number of CHSW and at first assumed roosting birds were leaving the chimney, but when i looked up there was a flock exhibiting the normal behavior before they enter the structure at dusk (counter-clockwise circling flight.) then i noticed they WERE entering the chimney. as soon as i recovered from my initial wonder, i started to count, and had 70+/- inds. over the next 5 mins or so before they were all in (the flock was easily 2x that number.) temps were in the low 60s F, skies were heavy overcast and forecast was for rain, although that didn't materialize for the day. were the swifts anticipating bad weather? have they been documented to migrate nocturnally in fall (or spring) and were they stopping off for the day? in 40 +yrs of watching CHSW i've often watched them arrive at dusk and leave at first light, but don't recall ever seeing a migrant flock ENTER the chimney in early a.m.

FWIW, we're still seeing 100 - 300inds. stopping off for the night here.

thanks in advance for any insight/comments.

Gary Phillips

 

Editor’s response:  Although not common, swifts do sometimes re-enter the roost site after a quick early morning foray. This is usually does take place when weather conditions are not good for feeding. We have actually seen swifts stay in the towers all day in the fall prior to migration. If the food is not there, then there is no reason to waste the energy and body fat so close to migration.

 

Raleigh, NC

 

Well they ran the article on the front page of the Raleigh News & Observer (find below). Most of the info is pretty accurate so we’re pleased. We estimated 9000 birds entering the chimney last Monday, but fewer the last few days. I visited the chimney this morning- its overcast, dreary with slight rain and temps about 75F, and the swifts are still in the chimney (at 8:30 am). I still have never seen them exit a chimney in the morning.

 

We’ll be leading two more public walks and then continuing to do our outreach with a power point to garden clubs and civic groups. We are hoping to raise $35,000 from our Buy a Brick for Swifts fundraiser which will enable us to build the chimney and equip it with research tools, but it will be an open-ended fundraiser that will help fund ongoing research.

The chimney will be constructed of blocks and be 30 feet tall, maybe 5 ft x 5 ft dimensions. We hope to have portholes, and stairwell access to the top, opportunities for researchers to work with swifts. People who purchase bricks will have their names inscribed on bricks as part of a viewing patio area near the chimney. I sure hope the swifts find it!

 

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/09/22/1507839/soaring-roosting-in-raleigh.html

 

John Connors

Spotsylvania, VA

 

14 counted

8 pm Sept 10, calm clear sky

Spotsylvania, va Lake Anna Virginia

Residential chimney (ours) This is the most we have ever seen, in the 10 years they have been using our Chimney.

 

Judy Stephens

 

Melbourne, FL

 

I was not here for the September Swifts Night out weekend or the weekend after. Normally my chimney residents have left by then, but this year there is a stragler. One lone bird. It is usually not flying just before sunset, but I have seen it fly in the afternoon before sunset. I don't see any other swifts in the area.

Is it strange for one bird to remain behind when there were two nests and fledges this year? The weather has been unusually warm, but is predicted to start cooling down somewhat next week. We normally use our fireplace alot during the winter months, as the temps have been getting cooler each year. I would not use it if the bird is still there. I have a kingsize pillow in the fireplace (to catch babies when the nest falls..but this year none fell, they all fledged with their parents) and now newspaper on top so I can tell by the droppings if the bird is still there.

 

Susie Johns

 

 

Vienna, VA

 

I know its later than the Swift Night Out weekends, but I just entered a sighting into eBird of 490 Chimney Swifts entering a chimney at Pimmit Hills High School in Fairfax County Virginia on Tuesday September 27^th, 2011 at dusk.

 

Daniel Lebbin

 

 

Monaca, PA

 

We had our chimney blessed with a small gathering this year. We had our normal 5 birds all summer. For about 2 weeks, we had about 50 birds staying with us. As of the birds night out date we had that many birds. The last day we saw them, was around the 14th of Sept. We have a fire pit up on the hill behind the house, and we enjoy their chirping right above our heads, as we know they are cleaning out the mosquitoes.

 

George & Brenda Robbie

 

 

 

 

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