Chimney Swifts in the News, and Some Still in the Nest!
Happy September! We’ve hit the home stretch of the 2025 swift season.
The swift activity has really dwindled in many communities across the province, but there are still some swifts kicking around. The breeding pair at the Infirmary chimney in Selkirk seem to still be feeding young, with a week to go until the estimated fledging date. The dropping temperatures and decreasing insect availability will certainly present a challenge for these swifts, but anything is possible! We are crossing our fingers that they will succeed.
Friendly reminder to please send in your monitoring reports. Even if you have reports from earlier this summer that you haven’t submitted yet, it’s not too late! We will make sure they get added to our database.
Before we launch into our penultimate monitoring recap, we’ve got a few interesting links to share. Chimney Swifts were featured prominently in the media last week!
- Last Wednesday, Assiniboine Park posted an article (“A Soaring Success: Chimney Swifts at Assiniboine Park”) on their website: https://www.assiniboinepark.ca/stories/301/a-soaring-success-chimney-swifts-at-assiniboine-park
- The story was then picked up by CBC radio on Friday, who aired a segment on “Information Radio” with Marcie Markusa and again on “Up to Speed” with Faith Fundal: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-29-information-radio-mb/clip/16166431-how-assiniboine-park-helping-threatened-chimney-swifts
- Also on Friday, Rudolf Koes was an invited speaker on the phone-in show about birding on CBC Radio Noon. He was asked about Chimney Swifts (and gulls):
Time to get into our monitoring recap.
Carman
Rhonda watched the Carman Memorial Hall on August 26 during the roosting hour and did not see any swifts. Looks like the swifts have officially departed from Carman.
La Broquerie
Frank visited the St Joachim Church in La Broquerie for a roost hour watch on August 30. He caught 2 entries into the large chimney, and 3 entries into the small chimney. A few more details from Frank: “During the monitoring period the birds never circled the church area as they usually do; they just plunged into their chimney from great height.”
Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Luc monitored the Church on August 19 from 8:08pm-9:08pm. He saw 1 entry/exit around 8:23pm, 3 entries around 8:30pm, 1 exit at 8:32pm, 1 exit at 8:40pm, 1 entry at 8:43pm, 1 entry/exit around 8:47pm, 1 entry/exit around 8:50pm, 1 entry/exit around 8:53pm, and 2 entries around 9:00pm (4 swifts in the chimney).
Selkirk
The swifts have departed from most sites at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre, but there is still some activity at two sites.
T01: On August 27, Fred and Nettie monitored T01 from 7:10pm-8:55pm and saw 1 entry at 8:10pm, 1 entry at 8:19pm, and 1 exit at 8:30pm.
Infirmary: On August 26, Patti monitored the Infirmary from 7:42pm-8:53pm. She saw 1 entry/exit around 7:55pm, 1 entry/exit around 8:03pm, 1 entry/exit at 8:08pm, 1 entry/exit at 8:11pm, 2 entries followed by 2 exits around 8:18pm, 1 entry/exit around 8:26pm, 1 entry/exit at 8:28pm, 1 entry/exit around 8:34pm, and 3 entries around 8:40pm. Feeding is ongoing!
A roosting hour watch on Sept 1 revealed a roost count of 2 swifts. We’re thinking that the assumed helper may have left, leaving the breeding pair to try and wrap up their late nesting attempt by themselves.
Wasagaming
Ellie watched the Dragonfly Tearoom on August 21 from 8:15pm-9:15pm and on August 26 from 8:05pm-9:05pm. She saw no activity on both nights.
Winnipeg
Breanne monitored 411 Stradbrook Ave from 7:17pm-8:47pm on August 29. She did not see or hear any swifts.
Priority site list (updated September 2):
| Community | Neighbourhood | Address | Site name | Observer |
| Carman | – | 2nd St | Private residence | |
| Pat S. | ||||
| Eriksdale | – | 16 Railway Avenue | St John’s Anglican Church/Eriksdale Museum | |
| Melita | – | Veteran’s Way | Private residence | |
| Pilot Mound | – | Railway St | Private residence | |
| Souris | – | 5th Ave W | Private residence | |
| demolished | ||||
| Luc B. | ||||
| Tim P. | ||||
| 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 (both chimneys) | Brink’s Canada | |
| Marissa B. & Amy M. | ||||
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 100 Adelaide Street | Immigrant Centre Building | |
| Winnipeg | City Centre | 91 Albert Street | The Old Market Autonomous Zone | |
| Amy M. | ||||
| Winnipeg | Fort Garry | 1022 Pembina Highway | Cambridge Hotel – Tower | |
| 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 | |
| Cam T. | ||||
| 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 | Uptown Lofts | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights/Fort Garry | Dorchester Ave | Private residence | |
| Winnipeg | River Heights/Fort Garry | Kylemore Ave | Private residence | |
| Marilyn B. & Pam L. | ||||
| Frank M. | ||||
| Winnipeg | St Boniface | 865 Tache Ave. | Civic Roofing | |
| Amy M. | ||||
| Amy M. | ||||
| Winnipeg | St James | 2415 Portage Avenue | Essex House, pest cage | |
| Frank M. | ||||
| Frank M. | ||||
| Winnipeg | West Broadway | 39 Balmoral Street | Apartment | |
| Frank M. | ||||
| Amy M. | ||||
| 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
