 UPDATE:
The swifts are back alright! Last night our swift observer counted more than 1,000 of the small acrobats swooping in loops and then tumbling into the Foley chimney. We’re hoping for more this evening as the weather conditions remain perfect. So plenty to celebrate at Swift Night Out this Friday evening-5 pm to dusk. Don't forget your lawn chairs and binoculars, and please note that the clinic parking lot on Jefferson will be closed-that’s the best location for swift-watching. See you Friday! (If Friday doesn't work for you, head down to Max Square around 7 pm for a private viewing). *** Close to 200 swifts were observed at the Foley roost last night by our event coordinator Katie Boula. “I was SO glad to see the birds last evening” she says. “Thousands have been recorded in the Willamette Valley, and as far east as Montana, but the birds are just now arriving in southern and eastern Oregon, and I was getting worried. Monitoring over the last few years has indicated a continuing decline in the number of migrants, but overall this year looks to have been a good year for swift reproduction.” So the party is definitely on! Friday, Sept. 9, Max Square, beginning at 5 pm. Music by House Blend, food vendors, beer (and wine) garden, face painting to transform the young ones into birds, bats and butterflies, Blue Mountains Conservancy's Third Annual Raffle and of course the swift show. Bring your lawn chair, binoculars (we’ll also have a spotting scope set up) and something to bundle up in, and come on down! Comments are closed.
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