Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 11:14:39 -0400 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Elliot Kirschbaum Subject: FW: Chimney Swifts Gathering Aug 30 in Baltimore Comments: cc: Carol Schreter In-Reply-To: <1ad.7afd1f5.2aa22f17@aol.com> Mime-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I am posting this to MDOSPREY at Carol Schreter's request. Elliot Kirschbaum Baltimore, MD USA mailto:ekirschb@bcpl.net ________________________________________ Hampden, in Baltimore City. August 30, Friday night. Already, there were more than 1,000 Swifts, using both the Bookbindery and Mill Center Chimneys. A migrating flock, or maybe our local Chimney Swifts are gathering (called massing) together, preparing to leave for the Amazon basin. Last Fall at Hampden, the high counts were Mid to Late September. Wherever you find a communal roost site, watch from Sept 1 to the first frost. Last FALL the Swifts were migrating until October 28. After the first frost the insects disappear, and Chimney Swifts have no food here, so they move out. For now, dusk is 7 - 8 PM. Later in September, as days grow shorter, go from 6:30 to 7:30 on clear days -- somewhat earlier on gray or cloudy days. You want to watch the chimney for the hour before DARK by arriving 1/2 hour before sunset. Come see the action in Baltimore. Learn to count Swifts. Baltimore Bird Club Field Trips scheduled for: - Thursday, September 12, 7-8 PM and - Sunday September 28, 6:30 to 7:30 PM For Directions to the Hamden chimneys, go to the BBC Web Site's new address: http://BaltimoreBirdClub.org If you locate an active chimney and are willing to send weekly counts to the SwiftWatch research project run by Dana Bradshaw at William and Mary College in Virginia, go to: http://fsweb.wm.edu/ccb/opportunities/swiftwatch/swift_instructions.htm To see the reporting forms, take the link to "Downloadable Data Form" Feel free to contact Carol Schreter or Alice Nelson in Baltimore for more information. Carol Schreter Alice Nelson (410) 664-5151 alandme@juno.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================