Saw my first three Chimney Swifts for the year tonight. I thought I heard
them a few days ago, but was not sure until today. Still, we used to get many
more than that.
BeeSW Louisville
On Friday, May 22, 2020, 11:18:53 AM EDT, Lyneart <lyneart@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
Lisa & all, I did a little reading myself after seeing the replies. Apparently
swifts used to nest in caves, hollow trees and on cliffs before European
settlement. There are also many fewer hollow trees than there used to be.
Wondering what a swift house mentioned by Ronan would look like, I Googled that
and it looks to be a fake chimney. Doesn’t look like something that would be
very easy to make snake proof. I did construct a concrete building by a pond
intended for such habitat, but it has never been used by anything but mud
dauber wasps. A phoebe started a nest on it one time but never completed it.
And a pair of Canada Geese once attempted to nest on top.
Cornell also says swifts aren’t colonial and that there will be only one
nesting pair per chimney.
In answer to Preston - my fire place is completely sealed up. I have a ventless
gas heater where the fireplace was as a back up to our central heat. His
comment about peeling bark off hickory doesn’t make any sense to me. Can’t
figure out from his description how that could be a safe habitat for anything.
Frank Lynefrank@xxxxxxxxxxx - near Dot in Logan County, KY
On May 22, 2020, at 8:13 AM, Lisa Gabbard <lgabbard@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have a question for the group - I saw a similar post on a FB birding page
regarding swifts and chimneys.
Are chimney swifts an evolutionary species based on humans having chimneys? Or
are they just called that because when humans began having chimneys, the
previously-otherwise named bird took advantage of a handy roosting place?
If it’s the latter, then Frank can rest easy about their plight. If it’s the
former, I for one sure hope they adapt again to roosting elsewhere, should all
the chimneys disappear.
Lisa K. Gabbard, M.Ed.
Leadership - Contract Administration
and Program Support
Pronouns: she/her/hers (what is this?)
Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence
111 Darby Shire Circle
Frankfort, KY 40601
Office: 502.209.5382
Fax: 502.226.5382
Mobile: 502.593.5171
On May 22, 2020, at 5:01 AM, Lyneart <lyneart@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I’ve been noticing a lack of any Chimney Swifts at all this year. Barn Swallows
already have fuzzy babies. Then yesterday, while I was making another tomato
cage in the back yard, two made several passes overhead. Don’t know whether
I’ve been overlooking them or if they are just now back. Ours is now the only
remaining house in the neighborhood with a swift friendly chimney. There was
one more house about 3/4 mile up Watermelon Road with chimneys, but after the
90 something year old farmer who lived in it died, the new owner pushed it
down, dug a hole and buried it. Will there be any Chimney Swifts left when all
the houses with chimneys are gone?
Frank Lyne
frank@xxxxxxxxxxx - near Dot in Logan County, KY
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