Hello MCSI Volunteers,
The 2026 monitoring season is now well and truly underway! As many folks know, Nights 1 and 2 of the National Roost Monitoring Program recently took place on Wednesday, May 20th and Sunday, May 24th, respectively. Based on the data we’ve received, Nights 1 and 2 told rather different stories, but there was still Chimney Swift activity reported on both nights. Continue reading for a full monitoring recap!
We also wanted to say a big thank-you to everyone who’s participated in monitoring so far! This initiative isn’t possible without the help of our wonderful, dedicated volunteers. If you haven’t yet submitted your data sheets, please send them via email to mbchimneyswift@gmail.com at your earliest convenience. We appreciate you! If you still want to participate in NRMP monitoring, you’re luck! The last monitoring date is coming up on June 1st.
Night 1 – Wednesday, May 20th
Overall, the swifts certainly seemed to have strong feelings about Night 1’s conditions! During roosting hour, most sites saw temperatures in the mid-teens. However, significant cloud cover and light/occasional rainfall made conditions less than ideal. Several sites recorded no avian activity whatsoever (swifts or otherwise), and very few chimneys/towers served as roosting sites. Across the board, there also weren’t many entries and exits recorded prior to roosting. The beginning of the monitoring season tends to have a slower start at the best of times, let alone being coupled with poor weather and a lack of insects. That said, here’s the breakdown:
Dauphin
Ken reported that two teams monitored two different chimneys, but neither had activity. One observer saw birds flying in the distance, but they couldn’t be confirmed as Chimney Swifts.
Lac du Bonnet
Jeff and Sue reported no swift activity at Gran’s Bakery and Casey’s Inn. They also went above and beyond trying to scope out other potential sites in the area. A for Effort!
Morden
On May 21st, Marvin and Evelyn monitored the chimney at Lucky’s Chinese Restaurant, but no swifts were observed.
Otterburne
Program Assistant Gibson monitored all three chimneys at Providence College and had the most productive first NRMP night in the province! Thirteen swifts were accounted for overall, with 10 roosting in the Skinny SE Chimney, two in the Large SW Chimney, and one in the chimney near the bell tower. A solid start for Otterburne!
Selkirk
At the Selkirk Mental Health Centre (SMHC), we had four teams of monitors out. Dennis and Patti monitored the Infirmary-attached Tower (T03) and recorded one entry. They also watched the East Infirmary Chimney and observed no entries or exits. Lisa and Monty watched the Smaller East Tower (T02) and observed two swifts enter the tower to roost. Nia and Linda had their eyes on the Powerhouse Chimney and the Stack Replacement Tower (T04) – neither of which showed any signs of activity. Lastly, Fred and Nettie were stationed at the Taller West Tower (T01) but did not see any swifts.
St. Andrews
At Lower Fort Garry, Gerald kept watch of the Men’s House and Furloft chimneys. No swifts were seen in the vicinity. Later, on May 22nd, Gerald monitored both chimneys at the St. Andrews Lock and Dam Powerhouse. There wasn’t any action at the South Chimney – but four swifts were seen near the North Chimney. After multiple entries and exits, two of them were inside at the end of the monitoring period.
Winnipeg
Overall, minimal Chimney Swift activity was observed in Winnipeg, although multiple sites were monitored. Program Coordinator Mackenzie watched the chimney at Moorgate Apartments, Program Assistant Brooke and Rob monitored all three chimneys at McBeth House (two of which being Priority Sites), and Michelle and Graham were stationed at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU). None of these sites yielded any swifts.
Blaire B. watched the site at the St. Norbert Behavioural Health Foundation and saw three swifts in total, with one roosting at the end of the monitoring period.
At the River Manor Apartments (Visible Chimney) in Osborne Village, Chantel and John observed five swifts circling overhead – but no entries or exits were recorded. A highlight of the evening was that a resident of the neighbourhood inquired about “the birds”, implying that she was aware of swift activity in the area… although she was slightly disappointed to learn that only five had been seen that evening!
Night 2 – Sunday, May 24th
The second night of the NRMP brought significantly more activity across Manitoba! Average temperatures were in the low twenties, with varying cloud cover and a lot more insects. Swifts were confirmed at sites from Dauphin to Winnipeg, to the communities in between.
Dauphin
With the swifts having finally arrived, things were starting to look up in Dauphin… until a thunderstorm rolled in! One clever swift managed to enter the roosting chimney at the Malcolm Block just as the rain began, and three more were not far behind. Pat reported that an additional swift safely entered the Hong Kong Cafe chimney around the same time, though it was fighting the wind to get there!
Lac du Bonnet
Despite their diligence, Jeff and Sue yet again reported no swift activity while monitoring Gran’s Bakery and Casey’s Inn on May 25th.
Selkirk
Selkirk had a strong Night 2 across multiple sites at SMHC (and beyond)!
At T02, Brooke and Tanner observed nine swifts roosting, and a maximum of 11 swifts at the site at one point. At the end of their monitoring period, two extremely chatty swifts were still circling overhead. Fred and Nettie again monitored T01 and confirmed a maximum of three swifts inside the tower – but after a last-minute exit, only two roosting swifts remained inside by the end of their monitoring period. Dennis and Patti returned to T03 where one swift alone made six entries and exits with no recorded roosting activity. They also confirmed seven roosting swifts at the East Infirmary Chimney, with entries having continued more than 30 minutes past sunset! Nia and Linda monitored T04 and the Powerhouse Chimney, with one and three roosting swifts recorded, respectively.
Winona monitored the Merchants Hotel site, where two total entries were observed.
St. Andrews
Gerald was back out at the Lower Fort Garry site. At the Furloft, he recorded two roosting swifts and observed a maximum of seven at the site. At the Men’s House, he confirmed another two roosting swifts.
Winnipeg
Chantel and John were back at the River Manor Apartments. They observed 29 entries and no exits at the Visible Chimney, making it the largest roost thus far! And arguably even more exciting – the pair saw an additional two swifts entering the Invisible Chimney… which means we can officially cross it off the Priority List!
At Moorgate Apartments, Mackenzie confirmed four roosting swifts with six additional swifts flying over the site, for a maximum of 10. Nicole and Cain covered two sites in Wolseley: five swifts entered and roosted at Fleetwood Apartments, but no activity was seen at the Lothian Block Apartments. At the St. Norbert Behavioural Health Foundation, Blaire B. counted 15+ swifts flying overhead. Two entries and exits were observed, though none chose to roost by time the monitoring period concluded. Blair R. confirmed one roosting swift at Kaljieb Electrics in St. Boniface. Catherine, Tyler, and Graham watched the chimney at CMU and saw two entries.
Carly, Emma, and Sophie watched Trinity Baptist Church – another Priority Site – and spotted two swifts in flight nearby. None entered the chimney, so we aren’t able to cross this site off the list yet.
Lastly, between NRMP nights on May 22nd, Breanne checked on the Maryland Foodfare site and saw one entry, resulting in one roosting swift.
Daytime Monitoring
The monitoring fun didn’t conclude with NRMP Night 2! Brooke and Gibson also spent some time in St. Adolphe on May 26th, doing daytime monitoring at six sites. The day’s theme: “Swallows and Martins and Swifts… oh my!”. It seems that the combination of warm weather and plenty of insects resulted in a lot of aerial activity from these species. As well, they quickly realized that folks in the community are definitely “swift-aware”! While monitoring, Brooke and Gibson both received inquiries from neighbours about how many swifts they’d been able to spot that day.
During their monitoring, Brooke and Gibson were looking for signs of potential nesting activity. Despite numerous swifts flying near all the sites, there weren’t any entries or exits observed at the Cemetery Tower, the Club Amical chimneys, the Brodeur Bros./Daycare chimney, or the Main Street home. However, at just over 50 minutes into her monitoring period, Brooke saw a pair of swifts enter the St. Adolphe Church chimney! They didn’t exit before the monitoring period concluded. Hopefully, this means that nest construction is currently underway! Barb confirmed that the church is prime Chimney Swift real estate and tends to be chosen as a nesting site before the others. We’re keeping our fingers crossed!
… That brings our monitoring recap to a close! We’re looking forward to seeing what Nights 3 and 4 bring – keep an eye out for updates. Here’s the updated Priority List, reflecting our recently confirmed site:
| Community | Location | Site | Confirmed by |
| Brandon | 1203 Princess Ave | Orange Block (North Chimney) | |
| Carman | 2nd Street | private residence | |
| Carman | 1st St. SW | private residence | |
| Clearwater | 8-10th Street & Boundary Trail | Harvest Moon Learning Ctre | |
| Eriksdale | 16 Railway Avenue | St John’s Anglican Church and former Eriksdale Museum | |
| La Salle | 27 rue Beaudry | Ste Hyacinthe Church (East Chimney) | |
| Lac Du Bonnet | 68 1st Street | Casey’s Inn | |
| Lac Du Bonnet | 100 1st Street | Gran’s Bakery | |
| Melita | Veteran’s Way | private residence | |
| Melita | Ash Street | private residence | |
| Melita | 133 Summit St | Melita and Area Health Centre | |
| Melita | 139 Main Street | Agriculture Building | |
| Neepawa | 500 Hospital Street | Neepawa Health Centre (Memorial Hospital) | |
| Pilot Mound | Railway Street | private residence | |
| Portage la Prairie | 329 Duke Avenue | Portage Correctional Centre (large chimney) | |
| Portage la Prairie | 16 Royal Road South | MTS Building | |
| Selkirk | 420 Main Street | Lord Selkirk Hotel | |
| Selkirk | 241 Manitoba Ave. | A&G Brows and Spa | |
| Souris | 5th Ave W | private residence | |
| Souris | 26 Cres. Ave E | Hillcrest Museum (East Chimney) | |
| Souris | 99 2nd St S | Kowalchuk’s Funeral Home | |
| Swan River | 518 Main Street | Commercial building? | |
| The Pas | 627 Cathedral Ave | Cathedral Apartments | |
| Wasagaming | 106 Buffalo Drive | Stowaway Inn | |
| Wasagaming | 133 Wasagaming Drive | RMNP Visitors Centre | |
| Winnipeg | 583 Ellice Street | John Howard Society | |
| Winnipeg | 127 Cobourg Avenue | Gordon-King Memorial United Church | |
| Winnipeg | 222 York Ave | Brink’s Canada (west chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 222 York Ave | Brink’s Canada (middle chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 33 Kennedy Street | Lincoln Towers Apartment | |
| Winnipeg | 348 Assiniboine Ave | Redboine Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 1022 Pembina Hwy | Cambridge Hotel | |
| Winnipeg | 411 Stradbrook Ave | Lancaster Apartment | |
| Winnipeg | 277 River Ave | Royal Oak Court Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 272 Cockburn Street | King George Court | |
| Winnipeg | 118 Scott Street | Apartment (central chimney with pest cage) | |
| Winnipeg | 141 River Avenue | Ludlow Court Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 141 River Avenue | Ludlow Court Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 280 River Avenue | Moxam Court | |
| Winnipeg | 245 Bell Avenue | Children’s Education Funds Inc | |
| Winnipeg | 444 River Ave | Augustine United Church | |
| Winnipeg | 444 South Drive | St. John’s Ravenscourt – residence | |
| Winnipeg | 39 Balmoral Street | Apartment | |
| Winnipeg | 634 Broadway | Apartment | |
| Winnipeg | 180 Main St | Sky Bridge Americas | |
| Winnipeg | 303 Assiniboine Ave | Newcastle Apartments (south chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 303 Assiniboine Avenue | Newcastle Apartments (north chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 45 Edmonton Street | House of Hesed | |
| Winnipeg | 444 South Dr | St John’s Ravenscourt | |
| Winnipeg | 375 Stradbrook Avenue | The Village Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 780 Osborne Street | Overlook Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 415 Mulvey Avenue East | Dominion Auctions (D’s Warehouse) | |
| John W and Chantel M – May 24 | |||
| Winnipeg | 549 Gertrude Ave | Trinity Baptist Church | |
| Winnipeg | 415 Stradbrook Avenue | The Wakefield | |
| Winnipeg | 395 River Ave | The Biltmore | |
| Winnipeg | 94 Roslyn Rd | Signature Homes Ltd | |
| Winnipeg | 321 Stradbrook Ave | Fontana | |
| Winnipeg | 351 River Ave | The Rosemount | |
| Winnipeg | 464 St Mary Avenue | Mall Plaza Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 935 Main Street | Ukrainian National Federation | |
| Winnipeg | 135 Anderson Ave | St John’s Cathedral | |
| Winnipeg | 25 Valhalla Drive | Valhalla Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | 31 McBeth St | McBeth House (A) East chimney (centre) | |
| Winnipeg | 31 McBeth St | McBeth House (A) South chimney (right) | |
| Winnipeg | 1030 Brazier St | Linlee Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 520 William Ave | Living Gospel Church (West Chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 520 William Ave | Living Gospel Church (East Chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 100 Adelaide Street | Immigrant Centre Building | |
| Winnipeg | 91 Albert Street | The Old Market Autonomous Zone | |
| Winnipeg | 442 William Avenue | Filcasa Housing Coop | |
| Winnipeg | 41 Princess St | Peck Building | |
| Winnipeg | 471 William Ave | Victoria Court | |
| Winnipeg | 54 Adelaide Street | Nejmark Architects | |
| Winnipeg | 52 Albert Street | Gregg Building | |
| Winnipeg | 80 Lombard Ave | Nutty Club Food Club | |
| Winnipeg | 515 Waterfront Dr | Vita Foam | |
| Winnipeg | 150 Pacific Avenue | Children’s House | |
| Winnipeg | 527 Waterfront Dr | Restmore Bedding Co Ltd | |
| Winnipeg | 465A Lanark St | Lanark Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | 465D Lanark St | Lanark Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | 890 McMillan Avenue | Milan Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 394 Academy Road | Academy Uptown Lanes | |
| Winnipeg | 1295 Pembina Hwy | Dollarama | |
| Winnipeg | 1181 Pembina Hwy | Flag Shop | |
| Winnipeg | 465B Lanark St | Lanark Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | 378 Academy Rd | River Heights Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 393 Marion St | Marion Hotel | |
| Winnipeg | 2160 Portage Ave | Stanley Park Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 2150 Portage Ave | Thunderbird Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 155 Traill Avenue | Theton House | |
| Winnipeg | 2415 Portage Avenue | Essex House, pest cage | |
| Winnipeg | 2235 Portage Ave | New Silver Heights Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 1790 Portage Ave | Carillon Towers | |
| Winnipeg | 271 Hampton St | St Anne’s RC Church (east chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 271 Hampton St | St Anne’s RC Church (north chimney) | |
| Winnipeg | 1780 Portage Ave | Marner Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | 1975 Portage Ave | Assiniboine Gordon Registration Building | |
| Winnipeg | 70 St Pierre Street | St Norbert Parish Church | |
| Winnipeg | 151 St. George Road | St. George School | |
| Winnipeg | 891 St Mary’s Rd | Good News Fellowship Church |
