Week Three

Third Week of Chimney Swift Monitoring

Wow, I can’t believe we are already on our third week of monitoring! This week is a “make it or break it” time for Chimney Swifts in Manitoba! Barb Stewart, who has monitored the Chimney Swifts in St Adolphe, MB in great detail for many years, has determined that if Chimney Swifts have not started nest building by June 4th, they are not likely to have sufficient time to raise young before they must depart on fall migration.

Good news about Chimney Swifts using an artificial chimney! Chimney Swifts were seen entering the Assiniboine Park Zoo Tower by Laura and Paulson at the Assiniboine Park Zoo during the May 27^th monitoring evening. This makes the second year in a row that we have had swifts using the artificial chimney. While it has still be too early to determine if Chimney Swifts are using the tower for roosting or nesting, we are excited to see what the season brings.

We are also happy to report that Chimney Swifts have been using the newly renovated St Francois Xavier Roman Catholic Church chimney by volunteer monitors Michelle and Mike. Church members are been informed and are delighted that their temporary tenants have returned.

We would like to thank all of our volunteers doing chimney-side monitoring, stay-at-home monitoring and sending us incidental reports of Chimney Swifts to help us build the picture of nesting and roosting sites in Manitoba this year. So far we have heard from volunteers in almost all areas of Winnipeg, and across southern Manitoba.

Just a reminder that our next monitoring evening is June 3^rd, 2020. It looks like it should be warm and clear! We are also happy to hear about any Chimney Swift monitoring that you may do outside our normal MCSI nights by submitting reporting forms or through our incidental sighting form on the website (links on the Resources and Links page.).

• Amanda