The good news is that we have swifts back in Manitoba. Long-term monitors at Assiniboine School, David Wiebe and Adolf Ens were uot last night (the 8th) and sent this report today:
“This evening Adolf and I thought we would once again monitor the Assiniboine chimney to see if we could secure another zero count. We arrived at 8:00 and were having some good conversation, not paying that close attention when to our surprise a small group of swifts flew in from the east over the chimney. Time was 8:23. It looked like approx 10 birds though they were gone before we could get a good look. Shortly after we saw them again, further away this time, and it looked like more than 10, maybe 15. Then a few minutes later we got a better look at the group and this time it looked more like 20. Then nothing until 8:55 when a group of 11 showed up and entered the chimney. Certainly there were more than 11 birds in that one group we had seen earlier, so some of them went somewhere else, unless they entered after 9:12 when we left.
Temperature was 14C with heavy cloud cover and a breeze 15kph from the ssw. Later there was drizzle as we ended up pretty wet, at least the side of us facing the breeze.”
Thanks David and Adolf for their sterling efforts. We should also thank them for braving the disappointment for a zero count by going out on Friday evening to check the school. On that note, Winona and Robert in Selkirk likewise monitored the large stack with no success and Tim, giving Ken and Jan a well deserved night off had zero in Dauphin.
Now the real fun begins….
