Chimney swifts about to fledge

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Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

I can tell by the racket in the fireplace that the nestlings are getting bigger and closer to fledge age - they sure speak up when a parent comes in with food! Seems like they should have fledged before this, I wonder if the adults had an earlier nesting attempt fail, like most of the martin's April eggs here.

Anyone else have swifts nesting right now?
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LarryL-MN
Posts: 52
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:08 pm
Location: Minnesota/Brainerd
Martin Colony History: Built first house in 1972 and have had Martins ever since. Became an active landlord in 2002 after finding the PMCA web site.

I have my first pair of Swifts this year. They laid 4 eggs and should hatch around August first. I built the chimney from used bricks in 2011. I was able to attract swifts by playing the CD but none seemed too interested in the chimney until this year. I put a nest cam in and am anxiously waiting.
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Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

That's a heck of a chimney, Larry - glad they are nesting this year. I think a swift cam would be a wonderful thing, hope we'll see a few photos from yours.
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ToyinPA
Posts: 2227
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
Location: PA/Avis
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.

I have chimney swifts this year, but have no way to view them. Old house, huge inside chimney. We did see egg shells when the furnace guy was here a few weeks ago cleaning my furnace. He pulled the pipe out of the chimney. I have counted as many as 9 in the sky. Could be more.

Toy in PA
PMCA Member
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dhjohnson
Posts: 478
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: North Carolina/Clayton
Martin Colony History: 5th year hostess. Currently 58 confirmed breeding pair. 218 Fledged, 35 older nestlings, 2 new nests with 8 nestlings. 100% occupancy

We have hosted chimney swifts for 30 + years. Our chimney is small so we only have 8 pair on a normal year. We have had two nests fledge 4 each so the numbers are growing! They coexist with our martins quite well!
Debbie Johnson
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

I have two chimneys and two pair!
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
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