Thought you all might be interested in an update on the VAUX'S SWIFT
migration and Audubon's annual Swift Watch at the Clay Place Chimney behind
the Arts Center in Fir Grove Park off Harvard Avenue in Roseburg. We seem
to be having either a particularly large and long migration, or an early
migration. Normally we start seeing good numbers of birds the end of
August, with a peak of a few thousand in mid-September. This year, we
started seeing several hundred each night in mid-August. We're now
consistently seeing 2000-3000 each evening.
Last Friday was our first official Swift Watch with artists from the Arts
Center providing kid-art projects. This week it was making little clay
swifts (or whatever - the kids produced several snakes, a few bird nests
with eggs, and one very nice jelly fish!). It was sprinkling when we
started, but turned into a pretty steady rain about an hour before sunset.
It was also pretty cool. So, the birds were already going into the chimney
at 6. Normally, they start in right around sunset, which is currently about
7:40. They continued to arrive and go into the chimney for a couple of
hours Friday evening. A couple dozen adults and a half-dozen kids braved
the weather for the show - with several commenting that the birds were
obviously smarter than the people - they were dry and warm, we were standing
out there wet and cold. We estimated 2500-3000 birds total.
Saturday evening was more typical of the fall migration - nice clear
evening, with the temperature dropping just at sunset. The birds started
going into the chimney a couple of minutes before sunset (7:41) and all 2300
were in by 8. Although it wasn't an official Swift Watch evening, we again
had a couple of dozen observers - some experienced birders, one professional
photographer, some budding birders, and a bunch of people new to the
community. A lovely way to spend a fall evening.
Diana Wales
