As the summer speeds by, we are (or are going into) the period of Chimney Swift nestlings start to fledge (leave their nesting chimneys). The fledging date depends on the date when the nests were built and eggs were laid, and happens approximately 28-30 days after hatching. Some nests in Manitoba have fledged already, and others still have active feeding of the young. We are definitely appreciating the swifts here while we have them.
This past week I received a parcel of Chimney Swift data sheets from our Dauphin Chimney Swift monitoring crew. This is a neat opportunity to follow the roosting and early breeding season activities of Chimney Swifts through in one blog post!
Ken and Jan Wainright monitored the main roost chimney from May 10th to June 24th, 2020. There were no swifts sighted during the first two watches (May 10th and May 14th). On May 15th four Chimney Swifts were seen in the air several times, and went down the chimney about 20 minutes after sunset. May 20th was a similar story, this time with five swifts entering the chimney near the end of the monitoring period. May 27th had the highest number of swifts seen at this site. There were 26 swifts in the chimney at the end of the night with at least 30 swifts counted flying overhead over the course of the monitoring period. Ken commented that it was hard to count the number of swifts flying overhead, as the flying groups would mix and mingle – we are glad he did his best to keep track! The number of swifts from May 30th to June 24th kept fairly steady with between 14-17 swifts using the chimney.
Jan Wainright also monitored the chimney on the old Scott’s Hardware building in Dauphin from June 3rd to June 24th. For the first monitoring session she recorded two swifts entering the chimney for the night, with another four swifts flying by. On June 10th she had one swift go down the chimney but ended her monitoring session with lightening and rain. On June 17th there were once again two swifts recorded going into the chimney, and another four swifts flying around. During the final monitoring session, she finished the night watching three Chimney Swifts using this chimney with another four seen flying in the air.
Our last Dauphin site monitored is the Watson Arts Centre, watched by Marilyn and Pat. They started on May 27th and watched until June 24th. The first night of monitoring Marilyn and Pat didn’t see any birds entering the chimney but did see seven fly over the chimney multiple times. Starting on June 3rd, they had swifts in the chimney each monitoring night, but the number varied. June 3rd had two swifts in the chimney (and four others seen in the air), June 10th had one swift in the chimney (three other swifts seen in the air), June 17th had three swifts in the chimney (and six other swifts seen in the air), June 22 had only one swift in the chimney (and one other swift seen in the air), and June 24th had one swift in the chimney at the end of the monitoring period (and two swifts seen in the air).
Our summer assistant Alyssa was in Melita this past week and spent some time watching sites there that myself and other volunteers did not get to yet in 2020. Both sites (the hospital and agriculture building) were watched during the day. At the agriculture building nine swifts were seen flying overhead, and one bird was going in and out of the chimney in a pattern that suggests it was feeding nestlings. At the hospital two swifts were seen, also entering and exiting the chimney in a pattern that suggested they were feeding nestlings. There was also a purple martin house on the hospital grounds, giving Alyssa a group of purple martins to watch when the Chimney Swifts were not around. When you add these two monitoring sites to the others we have watched in 2020, all known Chimney Swift sites in Melita were occupied for either nesting or roosting this year (one unknown exception is a private residence that was not watched).
I did a quick daytime monitoring session at the Maryland FoodFare chimney on July 17th and did an evening roost monitoring on July 23rd. This site hosted Chimney Swifts in 2016 and 2017 but was not watched in 2018 or 2019. Unfortunately, there were no sights or sounds of swifts in the area.
Lynnea and Adam watched the chimney at Nelson McIntyre Collegiate on July 24th and saw one Chimney Swift go down for the night just before sunset at 9:17pm.
Rudolf monitored the Northdale Shopping Mall on July 22nd for roost monitoring. He saw up to 12 birds flying around the area. He had one quick entry-and-exit at 9:12pm, and another entry at 9:27pm (the bird stayed in the chimney for the rest of the monitoring period).
Margaret and Millie continue to watch the Orange Block chimney in Brandon. On June 22nd they watched during the roosting hour and observed a feeding rate (sets of quick entries and exits) of three times per hour. They also monitored for 15 minutes during the day on July 23rd, and saw two entries and exits, which would work out to feeding eight times per hour if they continued at that rate over the course of the hour.
In Selkirk Winona was watching the Merchants Hotel for roost monitoring on July 20th. She also observed two quick entries and exits before the swifts headed down the chimney for the final time at 9:37pm and 9:45pm.
At the Lower Fort Garry southwest building Gerald continued to see only barn swallows out and about on July 22nd. The same night the southeast building had some activity with one Chimney Swift entering the chimney just after sunset, and staying there for the remainder of the monitoring period.
On July 23rd Gerald monitored the chimneys at the Selkirk Lock and Dam maintenance compound. One chimney had a quick entry and exit at 9:15pm and 9:16pm respectively before a swift headed in the chimney for the remainder of the monitoring period at 9:31pm. The other chimney in the complex had one swift enter at 9:00pm and another at 9:20pm, both staying in the chimney for the rest of the monitoring period.
Frank and Jacquie monitored three chimneys at Providence College in Otterburne on July 22nd. The first chimney (site 550) had one exit from the chimney at 8:37, and no subsequent entry. The next chimney (site 551) had four swifts in the chimney at the end of the monitoring session. The last chimney (site 552) had up to four swifts in the chimney at one time, but ended the monitoring session with two swifts in the chimney.
We also have a new volunteer, Christie, in Tuxedo. She is also a Chimney Swift landlord, with swifts nesting in her chimney. The young birds raised in her chimney have already left the nest, although they continue to feed overhead.
From Barb in St Adolphe this week we have “The NE Club Amical and Church birds are doing a mighty job of feeding their youngsters. At both sites Friday/Saturday, the feeding rates were 6 X/hour = back to rates seen in the good old days…yesterday, the morning was cooler and winds were up but the feeding rates were still very good at 4X/hour. A helper is onsite at the NE Club… There are a ton of mosquitoes locally – the first abundant year of bugs in about 3 years… Of interest is the congregation of adults in St A – they gather in a typical group of 5 but up to 9-10 and fly together low over the active sites, doing the old peer ‘n’ veer routine a la follow the leader. Lots of racing around town together too. Projected fledging dates are July 31-August 2 for the Church and August 5-7 for the NE Club. Keep your feathers crossed for successful launching!”
Also, a quick last-minute addition from Tim who saw Chimney Swifts at a new site in a new part of Winnipeg for MCSI activities. This morning he saw an entry and exit from Transcona Collegiate (in Transcona)!
–Amanda Shave
