Tweeters,

A new day is upon us and here is the rest.

Is there a reason for them sleeping in a large group? There is
probably a survival benefit to this. They huddle together to conserve
body heat so they can slow down their metabolism, maybe enough to
hibernate for the night.

Do the swifts spend the night in chimneys in both the spring and fall?
Yes, but there should be a lot more seen when they migrate south in the
fall.

Why are there more swifts in the fall? A pair of Vaux?s Swifts will
spend most of the summer raising three to seven young. If they all
survive, two could become nine making the return migration in August.
There may also be other factors involved.

When are the swifts expected to show up? Going north, the last week of
April, and going south, the middle to end of August. Vaux?s Happening
has observers posted in central Oregon and on the north shore of the
Columbia River to sound the alarm.

How many people will be involved in the springs Vaux?s Happening? The
more the better.

What is expected of a citizen volunteer observer? Look for Vaux?s
Swifts gathering around and then entering a brick chimney in Washington
State. There are report forms at www.pilchuck.audubon.org or send a
description of your adventure to Larry at lpatters at ix.netcom.com

What chimneys will have swifts? Well that is what we are trying to
find out. We hope to have a list of the sites that have had birds in
the past, and a short list of some very large structures to be checked
at www.pilchuck.audubon.org If nothing else, locate the largest open
brick chimney in you neighborhood and go look for the birds.

What time do the swifts come to roost? They should go into the
chimneys just after sunset. If you are at your location at least 15
minutes before sunset you are probably ok.

How will we know what time sunset is? Use this website.
http://www.sunrisesunset.com/usa/Washington.asp

What are the chances I will actually find Swifts this spring? Pretty
good if you are looking in Monroe. If you find them elsewhere it will
be a big deal, put a smile on your face, and make you want to brag
about it.

What will happen to our reports? The data will go into the Washington
State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife database, down to world swift expert
Dr Charles Collins at Long Beach State, and into Audubon?s records.
There are plans for a paper to be written and published on the project.

Will Vaux?s Happening continue in the fall and beyond? That?s the
plan, and that?s what it?s going to take to document how much trouble
these wonderful little birds are in.

Larry Schwitters
Issaquah
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