With the Hinesburders this morning, we counted 15 Swifts! That's a new all-time high for me at Hinesburg Community School. The kids didn't seem too impressed by "Nature's original gliders," as I like to call them, until I explained their behavior! Ali Huntington -----Original Message----- From: Scott Sainsbury Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 7:54 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] swifts galore Happy to see a good number -- 10+ -- of Swifts in Waterbury today. Always a thrill to see the acrobats at work. Scott Moretown On May 20, 2013, at 6:14 PM, Ken Copenhaver wrote: > Sorry to hear that. That probably explains why I haven't seen any recent > Swift reports from Bennington on VTBird. I just checked eBird and there > have been only a few reports of small numbers of swifts in the past 10 > years. I saw them in May 2008, but didn't report them on eBird. > > --Ken Copenhaver > > > On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 3:24 PM, Bonnie Dundas <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> Hi Ken, >> My husband tells me there was a brick building on the corner several >> years >> ago but was torn down. Sad for the swifts, sad for us. >> Bonnie >> >> >> -----Original Message----- From: Ken Copenhaver >> Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 10:15 PM >> >> To: [log in to unmask] >> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] swifts galore >> >> Hi Bonnie, >> >> I just looked at a list of Bennington hotels and I think it was the >> Kirkside Motor Lodge on West Main St. We were walking back from dinner >> downtown, so we were headed west on Main St. The building with the large >> brick chimney was on the left, set back a bit from the street, only a >> block >> or two before the motel, which was on the right. The factory building >> didn't look like it was in current use at the time, so I'm wondering if >> it's still there. >> >> Hope that helps! Would be curious to know your thoughts. >> >> --Ken >> >> >> On Mon, May 13, 2013 at 9:51 PM, Bonnie Dundas <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> >> Do you remember where you were?? >>> Bonnie Dundas >>> >>> >>> -----Original Message----- From: Ken Copenhaver >>> Sent: Monday, May 13, 2013 8:02 PM >>> To: [log in to unmask] >>> Subject: Re: [VTBIRD] swifts galore >>> >>> >>> Great story, Scott. Some years ago my wife and I were in Bennington. >>> While walking back to our motel just before dusk, a swarm of probably >>> hundreds of swifts streamed into a large brick chimney on an old >>> industrial >>> building. The show lasted only a minute or so. There weren't many >>> other >>> people out walking, but those who were there didn't seem to notice or >>> care. I've often wondered if the swifts continue to use that chimney? >>> Is >>> the chimney even still there? I don't remember reading any reports of >>> this >>> on VTBird. Can any Benningtonians fill me in? >>> >>> --Ken Copenhaver >>> >>> >>> On Mon, May 13, 2013 at 6:23 PM, Scott Sainsbury < >>> [log in to unmask] >>> >>> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>> This afternoon, in Montpelier, a merlin -- probably that seen often >>> >>>> recently and reported here by the city's denizens -- caught my eye. >>>> >>>> Near it, were a few Chimney Swifts. Soon, the Merlin headed back >>>> toward >>>> the State House and out of my view. But the Swifts did not. >>>> >>>> First there were a few. Then 10. Then twenty or thirty. Soon there >>>> were >>>> well over a hundred -- more than I can ever recall having seen at one >>>> time. >>>> >>>> It was a wondrous aerial show. They seemed to concentrate over the >>>> hillside where National Life sits. Then, they would wave over >>>> downtown, >>>> and circle back to the south. >>>> >>>> After about 10 minutes, they just melted away. In 30 seconds or so, >>>> there >>>> wasn't a single one in sight. If you asked me, I couldn't tell you >>>> where >>>> they went -- or even what direction. They just suddenly weren't there. >>>> >>>> It was like it never happened. And what was even stranger was that >>>> there >>>> was a large number of people around me, walking up and down Main >>>> Street. >>>> Here I was standing in the middle of the path looking up at the sky >>>> through binoculars, virtually blocking their way, and not a single >>>> person >>>> looked up. It was kind of eerie -- like I was in the Chimney Swift >>>> Twilight Zone and no one else got it. I think it's one of those great >>>> birding moments you tend to remember for a long while. >>>> >>>> Scott Sainsbury >>>> Moretown >>>> >>>> >>>> > Scott Sainsbury Beacon Associates P.O. 1660 Waitsfield, Vt. 05673 802-496-9393 ext 13 802-249-0525 (mobile) www.beaconassociates.com