Descent of 10,000 Swifts
Ten thousand Chimney Swifts descended into the 1898 chimney in Farmington, Michigan. It was a spectacle like I had never seen before.
Chimney Swifts, with tiny feet, are unable to perch in trees, which means a lot of flying around all day, and at night clinging to the insides of hollowed out trees, or abandoned chimneys. This historic chimney roost is thought to be the largest in North America, with up to 50,000 birds at times.
As sundown approached, a swift circled the chimney. It was joined by another, by five more, maybe a dozen more, and within twenty minutes the sky was filled with a swirling mass of twittering swifts that resembled a tornado. The spectacle continues until all of the swifts descend into the 151 foot (46 m) tall chimney, and find their roosting spot by clinging to the inside of the chimney!
Life bird photograph #229.
Descent of 10,000 Swifts
Ten thousand Chimney Swifts descended into the 1898 chimney in Farmington, Michigan. It was a spectacle like I had never seen before.
Chimney Swifts, with tiny feet, are unable to perch in trees, which means a lot of flying around all day, and at night clinging to the insides of hollowed out trees, or abandoned chimneys. This historic chimney roost is thought to be the largest in North America, with up to 50,000 birds at times.
As sundown approached, a swift circled the chimney. It was joined by another, by five more, maybe a dozen more, and within twenty minutes the sky was filled with a swirling mass of twittering swifts that resembled a tornado. The spectacle continues until all of the swifts descend into the 151 foot (46 m) tall chimney, and find their roosting spot by clinging to the inside of the chimney!
Life bird photograph #229.