Hi folks, I love watching Chimney Swifts and want to learn more about them and their roosts. Am interested in volunteering if there are any organized efforts to document roosts. Karlyn Eckman
On Sun, Aug 2, 2020 at 7:25 AM Jeffrey Saffle <jeffrey.saf...@hsc.utah.edu> wrote: > For anyone who’s interested, there are chimney swifts routinely present > around the Lake Elmo Elementary School. It’s an “old fashioned” brick > building with a chimney. We volunteer at the Lake Elmo Farmer’s Market > every Saturday morning, and they are always there. > J Saffle > Lake Elmo > > On 7/31/20, 6:05 PM, "Minnesota Birds on behalf of Gordon Andersson" < > MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU on behalf of gpanders...@msn.com> wrote: > > Ornithophiles > > > > I live in W. 7th neighborhood of St Paul kiddiecorner from a school > with a > tall chimney. Every summer the CHSW's start chittering and flying > around in > small and large groups beginning about sunset. On Monday eve I > decided to > count them as they dove down the chimney. As you know, the most > accurate > count would require a video recording played back in slow motion. The > number dropping into the tower accelerates suddenly and then it is over > except for a few independent spirits. > > > > On Monday eve I counted 92 birds. On Tuesday 142 birds. Last eve > Thursday > 122 birds. The last count is probably the most accurate with the > smallest + > and - ranges. But I think the numbers actually fluctuate each evening > also. There might be a rolling average increase before departure for > the > south. > > > > For years Audubon MN conducted a volunteer CHSW count at two times > during > the summer, with a retired volunteer coordinator. For 40+ years, St > Paul > Audubon Socy had a "warbler weekend" every Mother's Day weekend at > Villa > Maria in Old Frontenac on Miss River. Every evening Friday and > Saturday > people would count the birds going down the chimney of the 4 story > limestone > block residence. It was a scheduled event. > > > > About 15 years ago, on a weekend, I came back from birding somewhere > and > decided to sit in my bkyard and count the CHSW's. This was before the > AM > organized count. As I remember there were 246 or so birds and I sent > the > observation to DNR non-game staff. > > > > My thought with these summer tower roosters has been that they were all > non-breeders. Since they only appear in the evenings, they could not > be > feeding young in nests in the chimney. Someone who knows more and has > actually studied CHSW's might offer some facts. I was told once that > only > one pair nests in each chimney. Alternatively, perhaps these birds are > already swarming, preparatory to migration to Central America. a > long ways > to go and if young have already fledged they can head south. > > This is from CLO allaboutbirds.org "Unmated swifts continue > roosting > together in the summer, sometimes in large groups. But the species > does not > nest colonially: you'll find only one breeding pair nesting in any one > chimney. The pair may tolerate other nonbreeders roosting in their > chimney." > > > This represents a huge number of non-breeders. CLO does not mention > age of > sexual maturity. The loss of chimneys has been gradual over time so > these > numbers are not due to a sudden surplus of adult birds from one year > to the > next. > > > > PS I just read Jim Williams article in the Star Tribune from July 28 > on > Chimney Swifts. He notes the decline of all four of N America swift > species, that NAS labels as species of "special concern". > > > > GAndersson > > St Paul > > > > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > -- Karlyn Eckman Mobile: (01) 651 308 7285 Email: eckma...@umn.edu ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
