August is the time of year that nesting has been completed and groups start forming for communal roosting. There is a chimney at the corner of 22nd and Lyndale Ave S that I saw close to 200 birds enter the chimney to roost a few years back. It looks like a giant tornado of swift.
I find it amazing that the parents are able to raise young in the tiny nest they form. Here is an image from 2010 of a nest in Renville County, Morton MN: http://www.naturepixels.com/g2/gallery2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=38816&g2_serialNumber=3 On Mon, Aug 3, 2020 at 10:34 AM Deb Buehler <deb-lindenhi...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hello-- > I've been noticing Chimney Swifts in my neighborhood in SW Minneapolis, > but have not been able to determine where they're roosting. Maybe down the > block at 44th and Vincent area, where St. Thomas church and Carondelet > School are located(?) We had "light scratching noises" in our chimney this > spring, and that, combined with a torn-chimney cover (compliments of a > local racoon), indicates we may have had them nesting here. > > Also, I've seen two juvenile Broadtails recently, one above my home, and a > pair this morning near 47th and Upton. > > Deb Buehler > > > ________________________________ > From: Minnesota Birds <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> on behalf of Karlyn Eckman < > 000013aad297dffa-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> > Sent: Sunday, August 2, 2020 9:55 PM > To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU <MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU> > Subject: Re: [mou-net] Chimney Switts in St Paul > > 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.
