“There’s Something Happening Here…What It Is Ain’t Exactly Clear” … (WITH APOLOGIES TO BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD)
Plus, “If It Ain’t One Thing It’s Another” … A.K.A. “A New Playbook Script” (WITH FURTHER APOLOGIES TO GILDA RADNER AND ROSEANNE ROSEANNADANA)
And thankfully, Installments from “The Zone of Which We Are Sure” … (WITH NO APOLOGIES AT ALL!)
Since our last update, posted on July 29th, we’ve had a frenetic phase with our feathered friends. This blog shares a few snippets of what’s gone on. Ariel will follow soon with a more detailed account of all your monitoring activities. There seem to have been three themes playing out – two of which intertwine “Huh?” and “What ARE those birds doing now?” moments. Some lovely reports, of Chimney Swifts playing by the book, have also flown in.
In the land of torment, one of our dedicated monitors played “chase the best chimney viewing location”. Three observation sessions made from different vantage points were valiantly made in order to catch both entries and exits. The swifts were cagey and kept shifting exit trajectories. Here’s an excerpt of what our monitor mused:
I went Friday afternoon about 1 o’clock and sat across the street to see what I could see. I swear those birds know the colour of my car and know where I am and are messing with my mind. Because this time they exited towards the parking lot away from me. On Wednesday they exited away from me towards the street…I could see the exits quite clearly because without the evergreen tree in front of them – they exited up and out. The problem this time was I missed most of the entrances. I saw five exits and one entrance. So, I decided to go today (Saturday) and I started out by sitting in the parking lot. Once again, the birds exit away from me through the evergreen tree. I managed to spot one exit and three entrances while I was sitting in the parking lot. It was getting very hot so I either had to go home or move and I decided to move across the street, where there was a nice breeze so it was a little more tolerable…I sat there for about 20 minutes once again the birds decided to exit away from me into the parking lot and I did see two exits but no entries in that time.
Clearly, we need an answer to the question du jour “How DO the swifts do that?”.
Continuing with the theme, some St Adolphe swifts seem to have read the same Torment Your Observer-101 playbook. Two adults routinely leave the SE Club Amical chimney by pouring down the far side of the chimney and then ascending on a difficult to see trajectory away from me. They are the most challenging of all the flock to track (that is a very sanitized description).
It is a humbling experience to learn that Chimney Swifts will do what Chimney Swifts do despite our best efforts. What is a recipe for successful viewing one day, may not be the best approach another day. Keep your flexibility high and adjust your viewing location as the swifts adapt to daily conditions e.g., wind. Also, sun glare may be an issue in one spot more than another at different times of the day.
In an entry for the “What’s Happening Here?” chapter, the two fledglings from the NE Club Amical nest site oozed their way into the Church chimney last week (interestingly, it was the same day the more northerly swifts were tormenting their observer). They approached low and close together, almost beak to tail feather, and dropped in right at the rim. This is a new one for me to report – in previous years, fledglings have taken a rest stop in sites that were unused during the current season or in a site that had a failed nesting attempt much earlier in the season. To have fledglings make a pit stop in a non-natal site that had juveniles in the nest was a first. No harm done – the Church young are still on track to fledge in a couple of days.
In an uplifting report that was certainly not a first, Garry monitored his Watt St site and noted the cadence of activity had shifted. The entry and exit tally plus behaviour observations indicated that fledglings were launched! This site has housed several successful breeding attempts over the many years Garry has devoted to chimney side observations.
In other good news, the Selkirk Mental Health Centre chimneys and towers have been well monitored of late. The dedicated Selkirk Birders ~ Gerald, Nia, Linda, Robert, Donna, and Winona ~ plus Tim and his summer students, Aditya and Aynsley, have put in many observation hours. We are pleased to have fledglings at two nest sites…another breeding pair is still very active and we hope to welcome fledglings from that third site soon.
The last bonus round offering for you today combines good news and a reminder that MCSI staff can be valuable first responders to Chimney Swifts in distress. A call came into the Chimney Swift Rescue Line, 204-803-1523, that a nest had slipped – after a duck dropped through the chimney! Amanda flew out to reposition the Chimney Swift juveniles inside the chimney before plugging the escape route (yes, the duck was removed first). Great work Amanda! The next morning, Ariel observed the site and confirmed that the breeding adults were in attendance. Thanks, Ariel, for following up with that important monitoring!
We have a hot link on the home page of the MCSI website which takes you to the CHIMNEY SWIFT RESCUE FACT SHEET
Head to: https://www.mbchimneyswift.com/
Click on: Is there a fallen bird in your chimney fireplace? Immediately call: 204-803-1523
Read and follow the rescue advice: https://www.mbchimneyswift.com/Documents/CHSWrescue.pdf
Different action is taken for nestlings and adults. Chimney Swift parents are the BEST caregivers for their young. So, MCSI makes every attempt to reposition fallen nestlings in their natal chimney for continued rearing by their parents. Chimney Swift rehabilitation is extremely challenging. As humans are not as efficient as avian parents, juvenile development lags in captivity. By the time a Manitoba rehab nestling could be released to the wild, the season has typically ended and no Chimney Swifts remain in the province. That is a huge problem for successful migration.
MCSI will rescue adults who have escaped the chimney shaft and are trapped inside buildings. Remember those start of season reminders to close the dampers and seal escape routes? Adults are attracted to light sources and we want to protect them from leaving the chimney through “unauthorized” portals.
Being a Wednesday, today is a day to head out to the chimney sides ~ daytime or roosting hour ~ and observe Chimney Swifts. Feeding is still underway at several sites, fledglings are becoming seasoned fast fliers and are part of the increased head count at other natal sites, and soon we will see some premigratory groupings form at roost sites. The days are noticeably shorter and the morning air has been crisp. The last few weeks of the season are ahead of us. Keep in touch and let us know what your swifts are doing!
- Happy Swifting, Barb.
