I was visiting Vandalia Illinois for an outdoor concert on 11 September. I noticed a bunch of Martins flying around and gathering as the sun was going down.
I followed the birds (hundreds/thousands) were creating a vortex over one specific building. The number slowly kept diminishing so I walked to the other side of the building. That is when I notcied the birds flying into the chimney.
By sundown all the birds has flown down the chimney. Has anyone ever heard of Martins doing this? It also surprised me that this many were still in the area by this time of September.
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.
They nest & roost in mostly brick or stone chimneys. They have thin spindly legs & can not perch, so they cling to the sides of things. They build there nests on the side of a chimney using twigs & saliva. Only one pair per chimney will nest & raise chicks. They are closely related to hummingbirds. I have a few in my chimney every year, as do some of my neighbors. They usually arrive a few weeks after the martins arrive & leave after the martins leave, often in September or early October. They migrate to the same places as the Martins in South America. The time frame when they migrate south all depends on the food supply, the weather, when their chicks were hatched, etc. They look like a flying cigar with wings. If you watch them they flutter their wings like a bat. They usually are flying in small groups of 3-5 when searching for food. Closer for time for them to leave you may see them join in larger groups. They fly around & around & around making a high pitched "chatter" sound as they fly. They will buzz a chimney & when they decide to go in they often drop down the chimney backwards. The best time to see them is about an hour or so before dark. The chicks will make a really high pitched sound when begging for food. If you have them in your chimney & have a basement go listen, you'll hear them.
