End of Summer: Final Swifts Moments
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):
| Community | Neighbourhood | Address | Site | Observer |
| Eriksdale | – | 16 Railway Ave | St John’s Anglican Church and former Eriksdale Museum | |
| Ron B. | ||||
| Marvin & Evelyn K. | ||||
| Swan River | – | 518 Main St | Commercial building | |
| capped | ||||
| Wasagaming | – | 106 Buffalo Dr | Dragonfly Delights Tea Room | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 100 Adelaide St | Immigrant Centre Building | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 172 Edmonton | Ladywood Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 222 York Ave | Brink’s Canada | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 91 Albert St | The Old Market Autonomous Zone | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Garry | 1022 Pembina Hwy | Cambridge Hotel | |
| Ron B. | ||||
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 141 River Ave | Ludlow Court Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 245 Bell Ave | Children’s Education Funds Inc | |
| Tim P. | ||||
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 272 Cockburn St | King George Court | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 280 River Ave | Moxam Court | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 411 Stradbrook Ave | Lancaster Apartment | |
| Tim P. | ||||
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 834 Grosvenor Ave | Eugene Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 444 River Ave | Augustine United Church | |
| Meredith S. | ||||
| Winnipeg | North Kildonan | 25 Valhalla Dr | Valhalla Gardens | |
| Tim P. | ||||
| Ron B. | ||||
| Winnipeg | River Heights | 465A Lanark St | Lanark Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights | 465D Lanark St | Lanark Gardens | |
| Cam T. | ||||
| Winnipeg | River Heights | 394 Academy Rd | Uptown Lofts | |
| Winnipeg | St Boniface | 780 Elizabeth Rd | Arundel Apartments | |
| Frank M. | ||||
| Winnipeg | St Boniface | 99 Birchdale Ave | Nordale School | |
| Blair R. | ||||
| Winnipeg | St James | 2285 Portage Ave | Foodfare | |
| Donna M., Eugenia G. | ||||
| Winnipeg | St James | 2415 Portage Ave | Essex House (broken pest cage) | |
| Ron B. | ||||
| Winnipeg | West Broadway | 39 Balmoral St | Apartment | |
| Winnipeg | West End | 318 Home St | Mennonite Church | |
| Jeff H. | ||||
| Winnipeg | West Kildonan | 31 McBeth St | McBeth House (A) east chimney |
Until next week!
Thanks,
-Marissa
