To all of the monitors involved in the 2015 National Roost Monitoring Program (NRMP) and MCSI Blitz Night: this is a BIG SHOUTOUT OF THANKS! This spring, we had approximately 56 volunteers – who devoted 284 hours of their time – to monitor 45 sites in 14 different Manitoba communities. Outstanding work everyone!
Collectively, your 2015 monitoring represents a significant increase in “effort” compared to 2014 when we had 35 monitors, who spent 79 hours monitoring 23 sites in 11 communities. By any metric you care to choose ~ the number of monitors or the number of hours contributed by each monitor or the number of sites and communities monitored ~ more people devoted more hours monitoring more sites in 2015. What made the difference? We were successful in reaching out and recruiting more personal friends to help us out this year. Also, the availability of volunteers who previously were involved with the Manitoba Breeding Bird Atlas made a huge difference in the ability to monitor more chimney swift sites.
The 2015 database for the NRMP and MCSI Blitz Night tabulates the maximum number of roosting chimney swifts at a site; the valuable but frustrating “0’s” are included. Results reflect roosting hour observations (1 hour) made for: NRMP-1 on MAY 20; NRMP-2 on MAY 24; NRMP-3 on MAY 28 and “robust roosting hour” observations (1.5 hour; daytime use just prior to the roosting hour helped distinguish roost vs. nest sites) made for NRMP-4 on JUNE 1 (ALTERNATE DATE JUNE 2) AND MCSI BLITZ NIGHT on JUNE 6 (ALTERNATE DATE JUNE 5). Additional data for dates close to the “official” monitoring evenings are included for sites where monitors cover more than one geographic area e.g., Frank and Jacquie monitor St. Adolphe and Otterburne swifts. Results for the 2013 and 2014 NRMP are shown for comparison to 2015.
The MCSI ROOST/NEST SITE DATABASE will be compiled and posted later this fall.( Click here for the 2007-2014 version. ) This database summarizes the maximum number of chimney swifts entering a site, so it includes a wider range of data that come from: roosting hour and daytime monitoring sessions; formal monitoring and opportunistic observations of roost/nest sites; monitoring historically used sites known to us; and new sites discovered through your deliberate efforts to follow and quest for swifts e.g., tracking birds in Winnipeg and searching for chimneys in rural areas such as Darlingford, Melita, and Souris.
The success of the MCSI program is based on volunteer citizen scientists. We are very grateful to include you among our supporters. Thanks again for collecting the data which enables us to better understand the biology of the birds. That knowledge about swifts, and the habitat they occupy, is the foundation for the implementation of habitat stewardship and outreach programs. Chimney swifts in Manitoba are well served by your efforts!
Let’s stay in touch as the swifts close out their 2015 season with us. Most fledging should take place in the last week of July through the first week of August. Pre-migratory redistributions can start as early as the first week of August e.g., in Dauphin. By mid-August, most of our chimney swifts will be migrating south. Your observations and monitoring reports are welcome at any time.
Barb Stewart for the MCSI Steering Committee: Christian Artuso, Ron Bazin, Neil Butchard, Lewis Cocks, Ken De Smet, Nicole Firlotte and Rob Stewart, plus our MCSI Habitat Stewardship and Outreach Coordinator, Tim Poole, and our webmaster, Frank Machovec.
