End of Summer

End of Summer: Final Swifts Moments

End of story

Well, we’ve reached the end of August and fall is officially in the air! Swift numbers are definitely dwindling in most spots now – many of your reports this week indicated no swifts around. However, they are still present in some areas. Interestingly, as of August 28, there were still swifts in The Pas which is the northernmost part of their range! More details in the monitoring summary below.

The swifts will likely all be gone from Manitoba in the next week (or two, if there are some real stragglers). Thank you for your continued monitoring efforts, and please don’t forget to send in your datasheets!

Lower Fort Garry

Gerald monitored at Lower Fort Garry on August 26 from 7:45pm-8:54pm. At the Fur Loft, there was 1 entry/exit around 7:59pm, 1 entry/exit at 8:13pm, 1 entry/exit at 8:18pm, 1 entry at 8:32pm and 1 entry at 8:33pm (2 swifts roosting in the chimney). Wow, feeding still ongoing!!! At the Men’s House, there was no activity – it seems those adults and fledglings have officially departed.

Gerald returned on August 29 to check on the nesting attempt. He watched the Fur Loft from 8:10pm-8:45pm, and saw 2 entries at 8:11pm, 1 exit at 8:13pm, 1 entry at 8:19pm, 1 exit at 8:20pm, 1 entry at 8:20pm, 1 entry at 8:28pm, 1 exit at 8:29pm, 1 entry at 8:34pm and 1 entry at 8:35pm. That’s 5 swifts roosting in the chimney! Great news – it looks like this late nesting attempt has resulted in successful fledging! A MASSIVE thank you to Gerald for the hours and hours of work this season, from all his own monitoring time to coordinating the Selkirk Birdwatchers Club monitoring efforts.

Selkirk Mental Health Centre

Gerald monitored T01, T03 and the Infirmary chimney on August 24 from 7:50pm-9:02pm (with the help of his trusty camera set-up). At T03, he saw 6 entries between 8:29pm and 8:56pm (6 swifts roosting in the tower). At the Infirmary chimney, he saw 1 entry at 7:55pm, 1 exit at 8:15pm, 1 entry at 8:28pm, 7 entries between 8:45pm-8:47pm, 4 exits between 8:48pm-8:50pm, and 1 entry at 8:56pm (up to 8 swifts in the chimney but 5 swifts inside the chimney at the end of the roosting hour). At T01, there was zero activity observed.

St Adolphe

On August 27, Rob and Barb did a roosting hour watch at the Church chimney.

Barb reports: “A single swift was feeding low over the cemetery. Then two were spotted, then four. Well, that was a good start. After repeat sightings of one to four swifts, a ruckus broke out just at sunset involving a low flying group of swifts mixed with Barn Swallows; it was impossible to count which bird was what species at this dark point of the evening skirmish. A predatory hawk, small sized – let’s call in a “merlin” – was being mobbed. The hawk roosted on top of the hydro pole behind the rectory and sat there undisturbed, rubbing its bill on the top of the pole. After ~3 minutes the hawk flew off. We didn’t see a swift after that for the next ~25 minutes. And, voila, the roosting hour was over.

While 4 swifts were seen in the air, there were no entries/exits at the Church chimney. Barb and Rob aren’t sure where the swifts ended up roosting.

The Pas

Danica and Grace watched the Loraine Apartments chimney (114 3rd St W) on August 28 from 1:01pm-2:01pm. They saw lots of activity – 1 exit at 1:01pm, 1 entry at 1:17pm, 1 exit at 1:18pm, 1 entry at 1:29pm, 1 entry at 1:30pm, 1 exit at 1:30pm, 1 entry at 1:31pm, 1 exit at 1:32pm, 1 entry at 1:32pm, 1 exit at 1:32pm, 2 entries at 1:33pm, 2 exits at 1:33pm, and 3 entries at 1:34pm. They saw up to 5 swifts flying at once, with 4 of these swifts seen using the chimney. Danica and Grace mentioned that they believe the group of 5 swifts includes 2 adults and 3 fledglings.

Portage la Prairie

On August 28, Gordon and Jana monitored the National Indigenous Residential School Museum of Canada from 8:00pm-8:45pm and saw no swifts.

Winnipeg

One of our priority sites this year is L&B Towers (415 Edison Ave). Earlier this summer, we thought this site was capped but it turns out there is in fact a chimney still open on this building, it’s just very tricky to see! On August 27, Tim was at this site and saw 4 swifts flying around L&B Towers, including 1 exit from the chimney. Woohoo, confirmed!

Donna monitored St Paul the Apostle Parish on August 25, from 40 minutes before sunset until 15 minutes after sunset. She did not see any swift activity.

On August 23, Blair monitored 261 Youville St from 7:59pm-8:50pm and saw no swifts. On August 26, Blair monitored 1310 Archibald St from 7:46pm-8:27pm and saw no swifts at this site as well.

Breanne regularly monitored the Maryland Foodfare throughout the summer. On August 14, she monitored from 7:50pm-9:20pm and saw 1 entry at 8:44pm and 1 entry at 8:46pm. On August 27, she monitored from 7:25pm-8:55pm and did not see any swifts.

It looks like the swifts have now departed from most Winnipeg sites.  

Updated Priority Site List (August 30): 

CommunityNeighbourhoodAddressSiteObserver
Eriksdale16 Railway AveSt John’s Anglican Church and former Eriksdale Museum 
La Salle27 Beaudry StSte Hyacinthe ChurchRon B.  
Morden352 Stephen StPembina Hills Art CentreMarvin & Evelyn K.  
Swan River518 Main StCommercial building 
The Pas380 Hazelwood AveVIA Rail Stationcapped 
Wasagaming106 Buffalo DrDragonfly Delights Tea Room 
WinnipegCity Centre100 Adelaide StImmigrant Centre Building 
WinnipegCity Centre172 EdmontonLadywood Apartments 
WinnipegCity Centre222 York AveBrink’s Canada 
WinnipegCity Centre91 Albert StThe Old Market Autonomous Zone 
WinnipegFort Garry1022 Pembina HwyCambridge Hotel 
WinnipegFort Rouge118 Scott StApartment Ron B.
WinnipegFort Rouge141 River AveLudlow Court Apartments 
WinnipegFort Rouge245 Bell AveChildren’s Education Funds Inc 
WinnipegFort Rouge260 Wentworth AveLady Wentworth Apartments Tim P.
WinnipegFort Rouge272 Cockburn StKing George Court 
WinnipegFort Rouge280 River AveMoxam Court 
WinnipegFort Rouge411 Stradbrook AveLancaster Apartment 
WinnipegFort Rouge526 Walker AveClarence Court Tim P.
WinnipegFort Rouge834 Grosvenor AveEugene Apartments 
WinnipegFort Rouge444 River AveAugustine United Church 
WinnipegNorth Kildonan1400 Rothesay StChief Peguis Junior High SchoolMeredith S.
WinnipegNorth Kildonan25 Valhalla DrValhalla Gardens 
WinnipegNorth Kildonan415 Edison AveL&B TowersTim P.  
WinnipegRiver Heights1025 Grant AveGrant Arms ApartmentsRon B.  
WinnipegRiver Heights465A Lanark StLanark Gardens 
WinnipegRiver Heights465D Lanark StLanark Gardens 
WinnipegRiver Heights555 Lanark StLanark TowerCam T.
WinnipegRiver Heights394 Academy RdUptown Lofts 
WinnipegSt Boniface780 Elizabeth RdArundel Apartments 
WinnipegSt Boniface790 Elizabeth RdArundel ApartmentsFrank M.  
WinnipegSt Boniface99 Birchdale AveNordale School 
WinnipegSt Vital531 St Mary’s RdRiverside Billiards Blair R.
WinnipegSt James2285 Portage AveFoodfare 
WinnipegSt James2400 Portage AveSt Paul The Apostle ParishDonna M., Eugenia G.
WinnipegSt James2415 Portage AveEssex House (broken pest cage) 
WinnipegWest Broadway198 Furby StHarvard ApartmentsRon B.  
WinnipegWest Broadway39 Balmoral StApartment 
WinnipegWest End318 Home StMennonite Church 
WinnipegWest End803 Erin StreetElan Designs and Upholstery Jeff H.
WinnipegWest Kildonan31 McBeth StMcBeth House (A) east chimney 

Until next week!

Thanks,

-Marissa

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mbchimneyswift@gmail.com

The Manitoba Chimney Swift Initiative (MCSI) aims to understand the causes behind the decline in Chimney Swift populations and help reverse the trend.