Ken and Jan begin the NRMP roundup in Dauphin:
‘Well, tonight co-operated with better weather but the total Dauphin count was down by 1 to 15 total for all 3 sites. The main roost saw 12 swifts go down; nesting chimney 2018-14 had a few birds flying overhead but none went down; nesting chimney 2018-15 which was the chimney that last year had 4 dead chicks had (3) swifts go down it!? The weather was 50%-75% cloud but no rain (but we need the rain). All reports were entries and no exits.’
Over in Saint François Xavier, Mike and Michelle settled down for another monitoring evening. Here is their account:
‘Not the most pleasant night for observing chimney swifts but we did see 2 in the air coming and going for a good half-hour and then to our great surprise, 2 exited the chimney, making for 4 birds in total but at the end of our watch only one came back in to roost. Now, I am also wondering if there might be another chimney in the area. We had a quick drive around town and did not see any potential sites but across the river is not so far as the crow flies, so we’ll check that out another day.’
Seems like a good evening for watching swifts based on these reports, unfortunately, this is where the positives end.
Blaire in St Norbert sent the following report:
‘Behavioural Healthy Foundation had 0 swifts enter last night. However I did see swifts flying around earlier in the evening but none during the monitoring time. So we will see next time perhaps.’
Another new volunteer, Janice, followed up on a lead from 2017 of a swift entering the Academy Bowling Lane Building in Winnipeg. Alas, her watch fell victim to the general lack of swifts in Winnipeg. Kirsten again lucked out at the Flag Shop on Pembina Highway, Kelly-Anne had a quiet night on Academy, Frank and Jacquie saw nothing at the Moorgate, Barbara and Phil had a quiet night in Osborne Village, Mitchell had a quiet evening at the Assiniboine Park Zoo Tower and Francene and Nicola had no activity at the Old Grace Housing Coop.
At Assiniboine School, things were scarily quiet for Beth. Tim also saw no sign of a swift at the large roost at 303 Assiniboine in Downtown Winnipeg.
David, our Morden volunteer sent this:
‘A cold, rainy evening resulted in no swift activity. At least I had a nice hot coffee!!’
Margaret and Millie in Brandon had some birds, just not swifts:
‘No swifts at the “Orange Block” Brandon. Saw only 2 robins, 1 flyover rock pigeon, & 2 HoSp.’
In Lac du Bonnet, Cam and Diann, sent this report:
‘No swifts either site…again, but looking back at past records that seems to be the norm!
Lots of starlings about, only 1 swallow and a merlin casing Casey’s at 20:31. We had our third almost too close encounter with a saw-whet owl on our way home!’
Keelie also saw nothing in Steinbach.
David in La Broquerie gave it a go:
‘Well, either the birds went to bed early (and I wouldn’t blame them if they did) or perhaps they decided to go back to South America, because there was no sign of any chimney swifts at all. I did actually get on site a few minutes before the official 1 hour before sunset so I did my duty….’
Not satisfied, David was back the following day to check there were still swifts in town:
‘This evening – Thursday – I spent three quarters of an hour from 8.30 to sunset watching the La Broquerie chimneys and am please to say there were 6 birds constantly flying around. Occasionally one went down the large chimney and then came out again a couple of minutes later. I regret to say I did not stay and watch them all go down and into which chimney, but will do that on the next official day. No doubt yesterday they had gone down before the 1 hour pre-sunset, and before I arrived.’
To anyone wondering, this confirms that, yes, we still have swifts in Manitoba!
On the 23rd, Rhonda carried out a watch in Carman:
‘I saw 3 swifts flying and I believe that 1 went into the house and the other 2 meandered off to the east. I was distracted by a hookin’ big rattlin’ stinkin’ diesel truck idling and parked close by me for about 15 minutes and I lost track of the swifts. It was a beautiful evening and I plan to park myself in the same spot tomorrow night sans the idling diesel truck.’
Bob and Valerie sent this report from St James:
‘We went on May 23 instead of May 22 to observe the Silver Heights Apartments, due to the weather. There were no swifts flying in the area , except for about 3 at 8:50 pm, so we were surprised (and pleased!) to see two swifts appearing from nowhere and popping into the chimney at 9:26 pm.’
