Too late (me), and too many to count (them):

Arrived at the old Sumas Customs House, rounding the corner on Harrison at 6:45 pm - thinking I had plenty of time to observe the swift's pre-descent movements, and then wondering how I would actually count them.

Yikes! Clouds of swifts were rapidly circling the chimney and others were already dropping into the flue, for how long and how many I have no way to guess. An estimate would be 300 (?) swifts still in the air when I realized I had arrived just as the main event was coming to an end!

300 (?) 6:45 pm, all into flue by 6:50 pm
10 Swifts arrived 6:55 pm, all into flue in small groups by 7:00 pm
3 Swifts arrived 7:10 pm, into flue at 7:14 pm
20 Swifts arrived at 7:21 pm, all into flue by 7:25 pm
2 fly over at 7:28 pm, into flue at 7:29 pm

Cloudy and spitting rain. Smart birds to know to get in out of the cold!

I waited until 8:00 pm, and when there were no others, headed back to Bellingham.

Am on for tomorrow evening - thinking I will try to get in position (with latte in hand) by 6:00 pm.

Gayle Stebbings
Bellingham, WA
gstebbings at comcast dot net