A SWIFT NIGHT OUT

2011

A Continent-wide Chimney Swift Roost Monitoring Project

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INDIVIDUAL REPORTS

Lewisville, NC

 

Good afternoon. I witnessed what appears to be up to a minimum of 500 swifts converging at the Lewisville Elementary School chimney. Initially I thought that they were bats, but their behavior was opposite—ie coming back to the chimney at dusk, but the swirling, undulating flying was mesmerizing and beautiful. They have been there for at least four days and I am wondering when they will continue their journey south. I did take a couple of videos, but the quality is not clear and it is hard to discern.

· Number of swifts counted—minimum of 500
* Time 7:20 pm
* Date 10 September (also through the 15^th they are still there.
* Location- Lewisville Elementary School , Lewisville, Forsyth County, NC 27023
* Broad description of the site, e.g. school, warehouse, residence, Chimney Swift Tower, etc.
* Weather conditions may also be reported.- Clear sky, temp 75-84 degrees, no wind.

Comments: Absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing. Unforgettable!

 

Tracy McIntyre

 

 

Fulton, IL

 

Last night there were around 1200 chimney swifts in Fulton, IL. Tonight there were only 12.

The record cold for this date plus a NE wind with some rain today made them take off early. This would be over three weeks earlier than a year ago if this is the end of our season. Freezing temperatures drifted down just to the north of this location the last two nights.

See you next year!

 

Gerry Kopf

 

 

Bethlehem, PA

 

· Number of swifts counted 500+

· Time (and time zone) 7:15pm eastern time zone

· Date 9/10

· Location Bethlehem PA

· Address: city, state/province 2344 Center Street Bethlehem, PA 18017

· Broad description of the site: First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem

· Large high, and wide uncapped brick church chimney; we have been observing enough birds to fill the sky for the past few weeks, no idea how to even begin to number count then exactly but it is a lot. The Audubon Society has been here 2 times and is as excited as we are. Many hundreds.

· Weather conditions fair low 70’sd

 

Becki Angione

 

 

Tallahassee, FL

 

We have been seeing on average 9 per night for several weeks in Tallahassee FL. Tonight we watched them between 7 and 8 ET and it was clear and around 80 F degrees. They have been with us all summer Raising their young in our house chimney.

Good luck with your project and thanks for the information.

Joye M. Clayton

 

Tontitown, AR

 

Number of chimney swifts counted -- 450+ and I'm being conservative
Time (and time zone) -- Central Time, I think I arrived on site around
7:30
Date -- September 11, 2011
Location -- Church building on north side of highway 412
Address: Tontitown, Arkansas

I'm actually from Siloam Springs, Arkansas and have been watching the chimney swifts in Siloam Springs since August. I only just learned of chimney swifts this August when I began to explore bird-watching as a
hobby for the first time. I estimate that the Siloam Springs chimney swift roosting flock is large, but not as numerous as the one in Tontitown. I did a count in Siloam Springs after September 11 (I believe it was either the 12th or 13th) in one location downtown (the Community Building) and there were probably 300+ birds that went into one of the chimneys. The building has two chimneys, but the north chimney is the
primary roosting location, although some birds apparently use the south chimney.

It happened that on September 11 I was out of town and could not arrive back in Siloam Springs to do a count, but I managed to make it to the Tontitown location in time, before birds started entering the chimney
and well before the main flock was established in its circular flight pattern.

I'm not a 'swift counter' but the swifts seem to go into the chimney in waves. It's obvious when at least five or ten go in, because I'm certain that more than that go in. To be on the safe side, I slowly counted up mostly by 5's and 10's which is why my number of 450+ is very probably quite low.

I noticed Arkansas is a big empty hole in your map. But my guess is that there are a great many chimney swifts that roost in Arkansas.

Joe

 

 

Newton, NJ

 

I checked the roost in Newton, NJ 9/11/11 from 7 PM to 7:45 PM. As best as I could count there were 3,100 swifts entering the hospital chimney. There was a light drizzle.

Giselle Chazotte Smisko

 

 

Emlenton, PA

 

Number of swifts counted: 2000+

Time: 7:20-8:00 p.m.

Date: September 18

Location: Emlenton, PA 16373

Description: an apartment/office building directly behind the Crawford Center

Weather conditions: Clear/Partly Cloudy

This is the same location we've reported in previous years and the swift numbers appear to be remaining relatively constant.

The number counted is an approximation arrived at by both observers counting separately and then averaging the totals.

 

Gary Edwards

Jim Wilson

 

 

Spencer, IN

 

* Number of swifts counted = Approx. 200
* Time 8:30 pm
* Date September 19, 2011
* Location, Spencer, Indiana
* Broad description of the site, e.g. school, warehouse, residence, Chimney Swift Tower, etc.. Our next door neighbor's house. Seen entering his chimney!
* Weather conditions may also be reported.

Overcast
66 °F
(19 °C) Humidity:         93 %

             Wind Speed:     Calm

             Barometer:       29.98" (1014.7 mb)

             Dewpoint:         64 °F (18 °C)

             Visibility:         8.00 mi.

 

Kirk Barnes

 

 

Western Travis County, TX

 

September 18, 2011. ~7:00 P.M.
13 Chimney Swifts counted
Western Travis County
Two story brick residential chimney.
Heavy clouds some mist.

Stacia DeBill

 

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