Subject: Fw: A Swift Night Out - September
Date: Aug 26 16:45:30 2003
From: Lynn Schulz - linusq at worldnet.att.net


Hi Birders:
The Vaux's Swifts are migrating. Soon they may be roosting in a chimney near you. This is a phenomenom that happens here in the fall with the counts reaching a peak in early September.
Last year two of us did a count at the Chalet Movie Theater in downtown Enumclaw on Sept 8, 2002. We started seeing flying, and then swirling swift flocks in the evening, and then the birds started flying into the old brick chimney at the theater. We counted 435 birds that entered the brick chimney from 6:35pm-7:40pm on Sept 8. Wow! We submitted our count to the census org listed below.
Last night Charlie Wright and I visited the Chalet Theater at 1721 Wells St, just off the main drag in Enumclaw, and looked across the street toward the theater and police station. We sat in the park. We started seeing some swifts, some quite close as early as 7:15. Then we'd hear some swifts, and see a few more. One time Charlie saw as many as 100 birds foraging above. There were also 3 Common Nighthawks in the distance. But the swifts never started swirling around the chimney or dropping in. It many be too early in the migration period? Or maybe they have found a better chimney? It got dark about 8:15 and we headed home. We knew we were there early in the year, but were curious to see if the swifts would be there. At least they were flying in the general area.
So keep your eyes out for these birds in your area in the evening. Maybe we can discover some new chimneys. See the message below for more information about swifts.
Yours, Carol Schulz
DesMoines, WA
linusq at att.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Paul & Georgean Kyle
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 6:54 PM
Subject: A Swift Night Out - September


Greetings,

....the roosting flocks have now begun to congregate in the south as well as the north. With the Labor Day weekend coming up, it will be a great time to scout out a good site for the final Chimney Swift event of the year. The main event will be held the weekend after Labor Day: September 5, 6 and 7.
Once again we propose that over the next couple of weeks you locate a Chimney Swift or Vaux's Swift roost in your area. A roost is a location where swifts gather and circle about 30 minutes before dusk to spend the night. Then on one night over the weekend of September 5, 6 and 7, you observe the roost at dusk and estimate the number of swifts that enter. If you monitored a roost in August, it might be interesting to see the change in numbers at the same site. When you have your count, contact us with your results. We will add the September counts to the August reports on our web site as they come in. Most reports are online within 24 hours.

Email us at: dwa at austin.rr.com

phone: (512) 266-3861


U.S. Mail: Driftwood Wildlife Association
1206 West 38th, Suite 1105
Austin, Texas 78705

Along with the number of swifts counted, please include your city and state or province and the date that you observed the roost. If you provide the exact location of the roost that you monitor, we will also include that information in the results.

If you are a member of a local bird club, outdoor group, Audubon chapter or any other organization that might be interested in participating, please ask them to pass this information along to their membership. For more information and to see the results from previous years, go to:

http://www.concentric.net/~Dwa/page53.html

Thank you for your support of Chimney Swift conservation. We look forward to hearing from you!

Best Regards,

Paul and Georgean

--
Paul and Georgean Z. Kyle
Driftwood Wildlife Association
North American Chimney Swift Nest Site Research Project
1206 West 38th Street, Suite 1105
Austin, Texas 78705
phone / fax: (512) 266-3861
Visit our web page at:
<http://www.concentric.net/~Dwa>



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