A SWIFT NIGHT OUT

2011

A Continent-wide Chimney Swift Roost Monitoring Project

___________________________________________

 

INDIVIDUAL REPORTS

Austin, TX

 

Elaine Rushing and I counted swifts at Brentwood School on Sun. eve. Jean Martin had told me that it was very difficult to see the birds going in accurately because of the bright lights on the campus near the incinerator tower. As a result our counts were very different. Elaine counted over 700, and I had 392. We were using counters. At any rate, there was a large flock which really didn’t start to go into the tower until it was virtually dark. I hope this will be some help.

 

Barbara Anderson

 

 

Atlanta. GA

 

Count: 4110 Chimney Swifts

Time: Counters present 7:25-8:20 p.m.; birds entered chimney 7:55-8:15 p.m.; official sunset was 7:57 p.m.

Date: September 11, 2011

Location: Henry W. Grady High School, 929 Charles Allen Drive, Atlanta, GA 30309 (lat 33.780333, long -84.371376)

Site: defunct large brick chimney (for old boiler of heating system?), about 100 feet high and about 4 or 5 feet square atop high school building

Conditions: about 75 degrees F, clear

 

Malcolm Hodges, Conservation Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy in Georgia

 

 

Nashville, TN

 

Total birds - 85

Sept. 9, 2011

102 Bellebrook Circle, Nashville, TN 37205

7:10 -7:25 p.m. CDT

Residence

 

Marjorie R. Koehler

 

 

Grundy, VA

 

We were in Grundy, VA over the weekend for some bird watching. Our host told us about Chimney Swift activity at the senior high school. Here is our report:

Numbers: Approximately 1083 Chimney Swifts
Time: We were on site from 7:40 to 8:10 p.m., Sept. 10, 2011
Location: Grundy Senior High School, Grundy, VA
Site: Public School building, with a brick chimney
Weather: Clear, no wind, nearly a Full Moon

Jay and Carol Hadlock

 

Nacogdoches, TX

 

Julie, Alex, and Robin and I participated in a Swift Night Out this past weekend. We had a great time watching the birds on a nice, cool evening.

Number of swifts counted – 56 Chimney Swifts.

Time – the first swift dropped down into the chimney at 7:42 pm while the last one at 7:55 pm.

Date – Sept 9, 2011.

Location – Raguet Elementary School in Nacogdoches, TX.


Broad description of the site – old chimney at an elementary school.

Weather conditions may also be reported – cool, calm, clear skies.


Cliff Shackelford

 

 

Kewaunee, WI

 

Number of chimney swifts observed entering the roost: None.

Time: 1908 to 1937 CDT

Date: 9-11-2011

Location: Kewaunee, WI

Intersection of Milwaukee and Ellis Streets

Description of Roost: The smoke stack of an abandon brewery.

Weather: Clear, calm winds with few scattered clouds.

Temperature from 79 deg F to 77 deg F

 

James J. Goodwin

 

 

Wathena, KS

 

Sept 11,

595 chimney swifts

7:50-7:59 Central Time

school brick chimney

clear 67 degrees.

 

Donna Chance

 

 

Dallas, TX

 

Number of swifts counted - 210
* Time 7:15-8:10
* Date - September 11, 2011
* Location - 10056 Marsh Lane. Lat. 32.882495 N, Long. 96.855231 W
* Commercial chimney in county building at Walnut Hill and Marsh (Texas AgriLife Extension Service-Dallas County)
* Temperature - 94%, Humidity 20%

 

Sandy Schriever

 

 

Kansas City, MO

 

650 swifts

7:45 pm-8:00 pm CST

9/11/2011

73rd and Jefferson - school chimney

Clear and 78F

 

Laurie Kosmiski

 

 

Nevada, IA

 

On Sunday, September 11, 2011, I had a "Swift Night Out" by observing the brick chimney stack atop the old Story Hotel on the corner of J Avenue and 6th Street in Nevada, IA. This is the downtown main street area of a central Iowa town, population approximately 6,500.

 

I arrived about 7:00 p.m., Central Time Zone. Not a swift in sight. Between 7:00 pm and 7:30 pm numbers fluctuated between 5 and 25 flying around with no attempts to enter the chimney. It was a hot evening (85 at dusk) with a clear blue sky background for good viewing. By 8:00 p.m. it was nearly dark, I could barely see the "little black darts" enter the chimney, and the chattering sounds had stopped. I had counted 448 birds make the quick dive into the chimney.
 
Donna Flanagan

 

 

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

 

We counted 237 but there may have been more at about 8:00 pm in a chimney in our home. This was on 9/11/11, a clear night, with the temperature at about 80 degrees. We are located in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, located near Jacksonville, FL. We live on the ocean, but Guana State Park, a marshy area, is located near us to our west.

 

Wayne Galloway

 

 


NEXT PAGE