Sadly, the Excelsior flock of Chimney Swifts appears to have lost their home in downtown Excelsior this summer. I've enjoyed watching them for years, but I have not seen any this summer. The old, tall brick chimney that they roosted in for years was demolished. Hopefully they were able to find a new home somewhere else.
On a more positive note, my Mother's neighbor in Brooklyn Center was telling me last week she had bats roosting in her chimney and she was going to light a fire in her fireplace to chase them away. As she was talking, I observed 6 CS flying around the neighborhood, and when one dropped into her chimney, I pointed out to her that they were CS, and not bats. She didn't care for that either, but when I told her they'd be leaving in a few weeks, she agreed to leave them alone. Paul Worwa -----Original Message----- From: Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> On Behalf Of Nina Hale Sent: Monday, August 3, 2020 8:49 AM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: Re: [mou-net] Chimney Switts in St Paul There is also an active colony in the Uptown area of Minneapolis. I'm not sure where they roost, though in the past years I've thought it was on Franklin and Hennepin. You will see and hear them all day long throughout the wedge neighborhood of Uptown. and after sunset the Common Nighthawks take over the neighborhood. Though this year The Nighthawks don't seem as plentiful. I thought because there may be plus large parking lot lights due to closed businesses. Nina personal email account of: Nina Hale 612-805-2071 On Sun, Aug 2, 2020, 9:56 PM Karlyn Eckman < 000013aad297dffa-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > Hi folks, I love watching Chimney Swifts and want to learn more about > them and their roosts. Am interested in volunteering if there are any > organized efforts to document roosts. > Karlyn Eckman > > On Sun, Aug 2, 2020 at 7:25 AM Jeffrey Saffle > <jeffrey.saf...@hsc.utah.edu > > > wrote: > > > For anyone who’s interested, there are chimney swifts routinely > > present around the Lake Elmo Elementary School. It’s an “old fashioned” > > brick > > building with a chimney. We volunteer at the Lake Elmo Farmer’s Market > > every Saturday morning, and they are always there. > > J Saffle > > Lake Elmo > > > > On 7/31/20, 6:05 PM, "Minnesota Birds on behalf of Gordon Andersson" > > < MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU on behalf of gpanders...@msn.com> wrote: > > > > Ornithophiles > > > > > > > > I live in W. 7th neighborhood of St Paul kiddiecorner from a > > school with a > > tall chimney. Every summer the CHSW's start chittering and > > flying around in > > small and large groups beginning about sunset. On Monday eve I > > decided to > > count them as they dove down the chimney. As you know, the most > > accurate > > count would require a video recording played back in slow motion. > The > > number dropping into the tower accelerates suddenly and then it > > is > over > > except for a few independent spirits. > > > > > > > > On Monday eve I counted 92 birds. On Tuesday 142 birds. Last > > eve Thursday > > 122 birds. The last count is probably the most accurate with > > the smallest + > > and - ranges. But I think the numbers actually fluctuate each > evening > > also. There might be a rolling average increase before > > departure for the > > south. > > > > > > > > For years Audubon MN conducted a volunteer CHSW count at two > > times during > > the summer, with a retired volunteer coordinator. For 40+ years, St > > Paul > > Audubon Socy had a "warbler weekend" every Mother's Day weekend > > at Villa > > Maria in Old Frontenac on Miss River. Every evening Friday and > > Saturday > > people would count the birds going down the chimney of the 4 > > story limestone > > block residence. It was a scheduled event. > > > > > > > > About 15 years ago, on a weekend, I came back from birding > > somewhere and > > decided to sit in my bkyard and count the CHSW's. This was > > before > the > > AM > > organized count. As I remember there were 246 or so birds and I > > sent the > > observation to DNR non-game staff. > > > > > > > > My thought with these summer tower roosters has been that they > > were > all > > non-breeders. Since they only appear in the evenings, they > > could not be > > feeding young in nests in the chimney. Someone who knows more > > and > has > > actually studied CHSW's might offer some facts. I was told once > > that only > > one pair nests in each chimney. Alternatively, perhaps these > > birds > are > > already swarming, preparatory to migration to Central America. > > a long ways > > to go and if young have already fledged they can head south. > > > > This is from CLO allaboutbirds.org "Unmated swifts continue > > roosting > > together in the summer, sometimes in large groups. But the > > species does not > > nest colonially: you'll find only one breeding pair nesting in > > any > one > > chimney. The pair may tolerate other nonbreeders roosting in > > their chimney." > > > > > > This represents a huge number of non-breeders. CLO does not > > mention age of > > sexual maturity. The loss of chimneys has been gradual over > > time so these > > numbers are not due to a sudden surplus of adult birds from one > > year to the > > next. > > > > > > > > PS I just read Jim Williams article in the Star Tribune from July > 28 > > on > > Chimney Swifts. He notes the decline of all four of N America swift > > species, that NAS labels as species of "special concern". > > > > > > > > GAndersson > > > > St Paul > > > > > > > > > > ---- > > Join or Leave mou-net: > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, > > practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > > > > ---- > > Join or Leave mou-net: > > http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > > > > -- > Karlyn Eckman > Mobile: (01) 651 308 7285 > Email: eckma...@umn.edu > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
