OHIO-BIRDS Archives

September 2007

OHIO-BIRDS@LISTSERV.MIAMIOH.EDU

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From:
rob thorn <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
rob thorn <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 18 Sep 2007 22:26:32 -0400
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Chalk this one up to serendipity.  I was taking my son to band practice at Capital University in Bexley (an inner Columbus suburb) and decided to go check the roost at the Drexel theater across from the campus.  Between 7:50-8:10 about 130 swifts dropped into the old chimney here, which is about in line with the smallish nature of this roost.  Then I walked back over to Capital campus, and immediately heard more twittering. Much more twittering. Looking across campus, my jaw dropped.  There swirling around the huge power plant smokestack at the south edge of campus was one of the biggest swift flocks that I've ever seen.  In the fading light I watched and listened in awe as over 4000 swifts dropped into the stack for the night.  Darkness stopped my counting at 4100 birds and I could still here many more still swirling up in the darkness.  I would estimate 4400-4500 birds total.  I've never seen this stack used as a roost before, but I've never thought to look this late in the evening.  Perhaps this represents an unusual migratory peak, or perhaps the swifts are now using the old stack in preference to the many chimneys of Bexley or nearby old neighborhoods of Columbus.  Either way, it was one astounding sight.

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