Monitoring Recap: NRMP Night 3 & More
Hello!
It’s officially June, and the swift numbers finally seem to be increasing in many parts of the province! Thanks for sending in your reports. Keep reading for this past week’s monitoring recap, including results from NRMP Night 3 which was on May 29.
As we gear up for NRMP Night 4 happening tonight, please remember that your health and safety is always the number one priority. As wildfires continue to burn throughout the province, there is a lot of smoke, and many regions are under air quality warnings. There is never an obligation to monitor – please do what you are comfortable with, and stay indoors if that is best for you.
Brandon
Louanne, Sandy and Glennis were surprised and pleased to see at least 4 swifts in the downtown skies on May 28. They did not see any entries or exits into the Orange Block. Where are they roosting?! The Brandon mystery continues.
Dauphin
On May 29, Pat, Ken and Jan monitored the Watson Arts Centre, the Old Scott’s Hardware building, and the Hong Kong Café. The Hong Kong Café had 2 entries, Old Scott’s Hardware had 1 entry, and there were no entries into the Watson Arts Centre. They note that it has been quite smoky, which may be impacting the swift numbers.
La Broquerie
Frank monitored the St Joachim Church on May 29 and saw 4 entries into the large chimney and no entries into the small chimney.
Lockport
Gerald monitored the St Andrews Lock and Dam Maintenance Compound on May 27. He saw 2 entries into the north chimney (one at 8:34pm and one at 9:32pm).
Morden
Marvin and Evelyn monitored in Morden on May 31. They saw 4 swifts fly by at 9:11pm, and 1 entry into Lucky’s Chinese Restaurant at 9:27pm.
Otterburne
Brett monitored the three chimneys at Providence College on May 25 (NRMP Night 2). At the “large chimney” (site 551), he saw 2 entries at 8:48pm, and 3 entries at 9:20pm for a total of 5 swifts roosting in the chimney. At the “skinny chimney” (site 552), he saw 1 entry at 8:50pm, and 2 entries at 9:30pm for a total of 3 swifts roosting in the chimney.
On May 29, Brett monitored from 8pm-10pm. At the “large chimney » (site 551) he saw 1 entry at 8:03pm and 2 entries at 9:23pm. At the “skinny chimney” (site 552), he saw 1 entry at 8:08pm, 2 entries at 8:45pm, 1 entry at 9:12pm, and 1 entry at 9:47pm. That’s 3 swifts roosting in the large chimney and 3 swifts roosting in the skinny chimney – a switcheroo compared to May 29.
Portage la Prairie
On May 28, Gordon and Jana watched the National Indigenous Residential School Museum (formerly the Rufus Prince Building) which has 3 chimneys. There was 1 entry into the south chimney at 9:06pm. The rest of the action was all at the middle chimney. They saw 2 early entries at 8:56pm, 2 entries at 9:41pm, 3 entries followed by 2 exits around 9:50pm, and 4 entries at 9:56pm. That’s a final roosting count of 1 swift in the south chimney and 9 swifts in the middle chimney.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste
On May 26, Luc monitored École régionale Saint-Jean-Baptiste which is one of our priority sites. He saw up to 8 swifts flying overhead and eventually saw 1 swift enter the chimney at 9:30pm. This marks our first confirmed priority site for 2025! We can now cross this site from our priority list. Woohoo, merci Luc!
On May 28, Luc monitored the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church. He saw 9 swifts enter the chimney, spread out between 9:03pm-9:47pm.
Selkirk
On May 29, Gerald watched the Merchant’s Hotel and did not see any activity. Winona returned to this site on May 31 and saw 1 entry at 8:50pm and 1 entry at 9:19pm. Winona also watched 367 Main St on May 30 and saw 2 entries during the roosting hour.
Night 3 of NRMP at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre was a busy one! Dennis and Pattie watched the Infirmary chimney and saw 2 exits at 8:49pm, 5 entries from 9:17pm-9:31pm, and 1 exit at 9:32pm (4 swifts in the chimney at the end of the roosting hour). At 9:34pm, there were still about 20 swifts flying overhead. Denis and Pattie also watched T03 along with Fred and Nettie, where there was a lot of activity – 1 entry at 8:51pm, 2 entries at 9:03pm, 2 exits at 9:08pm, 2 entries at 9:17pm, 1 exit at 9:23pm, 2 entries at 9:32pm, 1 exit at 9:32pm, 3 entries at 9:38pm, and 1 exit at 9:49pm (up to 6 swifts in the tower, but only 5 inside at the end of the roosting hour). Lisa and Monty watched T02 and saw 1 entry at 8:39pm, 1 entry at 9:19pm, and 1 entry at 9:42pm. Linda watched T04 and saw 2 entries around 9:14pm, 1 exit at 9:34pm, 2 entries at 9:36pm, and 1 exit at 9:54pm (2 swifts in the tower at the end of the roosting hour). Winona watched T01 and saw 2 entries at 9:30pm.
Many volunteers noted that they continued to hear swifts around the end of the roosting hour, so it is likely that there were more entries into some of these sites after dark.
Winnipeg
Jo and Betsy have been monitoring the Assiniboine Park Zoo tower. On both May 21 and May 25, 2 swifts entered the tower during the roosting hour. On May 29, they saw 1 swift enter the tower (though they note that they may have missed a second entry).
Nicole and Cain monitored the Fleetwood Apartments (on Lenore St) and the Lothian Block Apartments (on Evanson St) on May 24. They saw 1 entry into the Fleetwood at 9:40pm, and no activity at the Lothian Block. They watched both these sites again on May 29. This time, Nicole saw no entries at the Fleetwood, but Cain did see 2 entries at the Lothian Block at 9:07pm.
John watched the Moorgate Apartments at 2187 Portage Ave and there was lots of activity. While arriving but before officially starting to monitor, he noticed 2 entries and an exit. He saw 7 entries between 8:56pm-9:29pm, 1 exit at 9:30pm, and 1 entry at 9:30pm
Meredith monitored the Chief Peguis School on May n25 and May 29, and saw no swift activity on both nights.
Barbara, Phil and Evan watched 424 River on May 29. They counted 144 entries, the majority of which happened between 9:27pm-9:30pm.
Amy monitored the three chimneys at the McBeth House on May 29, and saw 3 entries into the north chimney (A). The other 2 chimneys are on the priority list.
Richard and Walker monitored the chimney at the Canadian Mennonite University on May 29 and saw 3 entries.
Thank you to all our volunteers!!!
Priority site list (June 2):
| Community | Neighbourhood | Address | Site name | Observer |
| Carman | – | 2nd St | Private residence | |
| Dauphin | – | 404 1st St. SW | St. Paul’s Anglican Church | |
| Eriksdale | – | 16 Railway Avenue | St John’s Anglican Church/Eriksdale Museum | |
| Melita | – | Veteran’s Way | Private residence | |
| Morden | – | Private residence | ||
| Pilot Mound | – | Railway St | Private residence | |
| Souris | – | 5th Street W | Private residence | |
| Souris | – | 2nd Street S | Private residence | |
| Luc B. | ||||
| Stonewall | – | 336 Main St | Prairie Zen Massage | |
| Swan River | – | 518 Main Street | Commercial building | |
| The Pas | – | 627 Cathedral Ave | Cathedral Apartments | |
| Wasagaming | – | 106 Buffalo Drive | Dragonfly Delights Team Room | |
| Winnipeg | Charleswood/Tuxedo/Westwood | Park Boulevard N | Private residence | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 222 York Ave | Brink’s Canada | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 222 York Ave | Brink’s Canada | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 71 Kennedy St | Scarsdale Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 100 Adelaide Street | Immigrant Centre Building | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 91 Albert Street | The Old Market Autonomous Zone | |
| Winnipeg | Daniel McIntyre | Canora St | Private residence | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Garry | 1022 Pembina Highway | Cambridge Hotel | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 411 Stradbrook Ave | Lancaster Apartment | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 272 Cockburn Street | King George Court | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 141 River Avenue | Ludlow Court Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 280 River Avenue | Moxam Court | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 245 Bell Avenue | Children’s Education Funds Inc | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 834 Grosvenor | Eugene Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge | 444 River Ave | Augustine United Church | |
| Winnipeg | Fort Rouge/East Fort Garry | Balmoral St | Private residence | |
| Winnipeg | North Kildonan | 25 Valhalla Drive | Valhalla Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | Point Douglas | 442 William Avenue | Filcasa Housing Coop | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights | 465A Lanark St | Lanark Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights | 465D Lanark St | Lanark Gardens | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights/Fort Garry | 394 Academy Road | Academy Uptown Lanes | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights/Fort Garry | Dorchester Ave | Private residence | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights/Fort Garry | Kylemore Ave | Private residence | |
| Winnipeg | St Boniface | 780 Elizabeth Road | Arundel Apartments | |
| Winnipeg | St Boniface | 223 Archibald Street | Archibald Storage, large chimney | |
| Winnipeg | St Boniface | 865 Tache Ave. | Civic Roofing | |
| Winnipeg | St Boniface | 99 Birchdale Avenue | Nordale School | |
| Winnipeg | St James | 2285 Portage Avenue | Foodfare, St James | |
| Winnipeg | St James | 2415 Portage Avenue | Essex House, pest cage | |
| Winnipeg | St Vital | 185 Fernwood Ave | St Vital – Niakwa Manor | |
| Winnipeg | Transcona | 1305 Winona Street | Transcona Collegiate | |
| Winnipeg | West Broadway | 39 Balmoral Street | Apartment | |
| Winnipeg | West End | 318 Home St | Mennonite Church | |
| Winnipeg | West Kildonan | 187 Kilbride Avenue | Kildonan United Church | |
| Winnipeg | West Kildonan | 31 McBeth St | McBeth House (B) East chimney (centre) | |
| Winnipeg | West Kildonan | 31 McBeth St | McBeth House (C) South chimney (right) |
Cheers,
Marissa
