Chestnut Hill Chimney Swifts Observations by Allan Thiele

Chimney Swifts at Chestnut Hill Elementary School, 3900 Chestnut Hill Drive, Midland MI 48642.


July 28, 2016. At least 100+ birds. Very hard to count in the dim light with them circling.

• Saw the first pair of swifts arrive in the area at 9:01.
• 20+ at 9:05
• 30+ at 9:10
• By 9:12 they were starting to stay near the chimney
• 50+ at 9:12
• First bird into the chimney at 9:13-just a single (probably wants to get the perfect perch)
• By 9:19 lots of birds making fakes toward the chimney but veering off rather than going in.
• At 9:21 a few more went in.
• At 9:23 came the big dump-all the birds went in-or almost all.
• 9:24 three birds in.
• 9:25 one bird in and I could not hear or see any more. 
• Waited a few minutes and saw no more.
  
  

August 5, 2016. At least 100+ birds

Instead of one big dump with a few stragglers, there was a big flock into the chimney and then about 1/4 of them came in over the next 5 minutes.

Arrived at 9:10-birds were flying in circles over and around the chimney. 

• 9:14- the bulk of the swifts dived into the chimney at least 100 birds
• 9:15- a dozen more entered
• 9:16- ten more
• 9:17- three more
• 9:18- seven more
• 9:19- three more
• 9:20- one entered
• 9:21- one entered
  
  

August 6, 2016

Staked out the school at 5:00 AM. Had a long wait.Had been there at 6:00 AM July 29th and saw no birds so I moved it up an hour.

• 6:40-   8 birds left the chimney
• 6:42- 44 left
• 6:43- 43 left
• 6:44- 40 left
• 6:45-   5 left       TOTAL= 140

Waited 10 minutes but saw no more birds.  As they left they immediately left the area, no clouds of birds like the arrival.
Left two or tree at a time. Easy to count, unlike their arrival in one massive dump. I may have missed a few because they come out of the chimney, drop over the lip and glide away. A few might have sneaked by on the back side of the chimney.