Our Baby Swifts!

Jose Rodriguez · Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:25 pm

This is going to be the last picture I take of the baby Swifts due to not wanting to spook them into leaving the tower too early. They are about 20 days old. You can see on the bottom right of the nest one baby clinging to the wall. They are starting to climb out of their nest flapping/exercising their wings while clinging to the walls. They will be flying with Mom and Pop soon.

Anthony Neira · Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:29 pm

Congrats Jose, & Thanks for the super cool pic. Great Job!

msalcido · Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:33 pm

Awesome! Thanks for posting this pic!

Matt F. · Tue Jul 15, 2014 4:58 pm

If those aren't cute, then I don't know what is.
It has been fun seeing the photos and updates about your Swifts Jose!

taxidermy lady · Tue Jul 15, 2014 5:06 pm

Mommy and daddy has done a great job, they look very healthy!

Ed Svetich-WI · Tue Jul 15, 2014 8:29 pm

Jose,

Good job!

Where did you find the plans for the tower?

Thanks,

Ed

ToyinPA · Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:12 pm

So that's what they look like up close. Great pic. I only get to see mine flying high in the sky.

Toy in PA

Jose Rodriguez · Wed Jul 16, 2014 6:27 am

Thanks Everyone! Well this is what the babies look like anyway. lol

Ed,
Here is a link to where I ordered the paperback construction guide for the tower. I ordered both books from this organization. I think the hardest part for me was the mixing of the concrete.

http://driftwood-wildlife-association.m ... ctions/all

Jose Rodriguez · Wed Jul 16, 2014 6:34 am

P.S.

I forgot to mention and didn't know if you knew this. If you click on the photo it should take you to some pictures of the construction of our Chimney Swift Tower.

taxidermy lady · Wed Jul 16, 2014 6:47 am

Jose I seen chimney swifts yesterday evening feeding with other swallows, I have an old brick home about a half a mile from me. They are probably in that old chimney. I have never noticed that before. Your knowledge on them and sharing it has taught me about them. Thanks, they fly different than the other swallows. So cool!

Jose Rodriguez · Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:30 am

Sharon,
Sounds like you have them in your old chimney. They do have a different fly pattern than the Swallows/Martins. Some mistake them for bats.

4th Gen Martin Fan · Wed Jul 16, 2014 9:44 am

Jose,
I have really enjoyed all of your posts with discussion and pictures.
It has raised an awareness of the chimney swifts for me.
I have taken them for granted all of my life.
Born, raised and educated in Texas, I was aware of them all of my life. I saw them flying around in the summers as they were producing their young. I never thought about the specifics of their nests and broods.

I used to see an untold number of chimney swifts gathering to roost in a massive chimney on the Texas Lutheran University campus in Seguin, TX. It was previously used to incinerate garbage for the campus. Students and faculty members would watch the aerial display of the chimney swifts coming in to roost. While I was completing my undergraduate degree, the university had the abandoned chimney imploded and the evening and morning roosting display ended.

Even then, I was aware that a major boon to chimney swift population had been devastated.

In my current community, there are chimney swifts to be seen each summer. As I teach new purple martin landlords, I show them the difference in flight pattern, silhouette, and song of each type of swallow; purple martin, chimney swift, and barn/cliff/tree swallow. In this suburban community, I assume that enough homeowners have loose or missing chimney caps that there is still sufficient nesting for them here. Nevertheless, your posts have made me aware of how fragile the chimney swift population in North America is.
Thank you for enlightening us.
Mark.

Jose Rodriguez · Wed Jul 16, 2014 1:03 pm

Thanks Mark!

Also, thanks for sharing your experience around these Swifts. We all do what we can to help the environment. These Swifts just like the Martins and Bats need homes to raise their young. The more we see wooded lands and old building with old uncapped chimneys get torn down the less available housing these winged friends have.