[NatureNS] re "counting" swifts, and Liverpool historically for swifts

Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 21:01:49 -0300
From: David & Alison Webster <dwebster@glinx.com>
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them, I see 10 I kno
I may have broached this previously but I wonder if some scrap 
electronic parts could be combined to produce an event (i.e. bird 
passing through) counter. Does someone on the list happen to have a 
hoard of electronic scrap and know-how (time to burn would help also) ?
Yt, DW

James W. Wolford wrote:

> "Counting" is a ball-park guess by counting by tens approximately as 
> they descend into the chimney.  Imagine the difficulty when there are 
> 2300, 500, 900!! (which we had once back in 1989? in Wolfville). 
>  Counting less than 100 is quite easy, and even up to 300 or so when 
> they go in gradually.  It's on nights when all the entries are at once 
> that you have a severe challenge!  It also helps to have more than one 
> observer, and then take the average.
>
> Marg, I'd like to know more about what you said about the church in 
> Liverpool.  Can you provide dates and more info' on  how the access to 
> the chimney was prevented?
>
>
> Thanks from Jim in Wolfville
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>
>> From: "Margaret E.Millard" <mmillard@eastlink.ca 
>> <mailto:mmillard@eastlink.ca> >
>>
>> Date: May 22, 2008 10:32:21 AM ADT
>>
>> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
>>
>> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] 81 chimney swifts in Wolfville May 20/08
>>
>> Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
>>
>>
>> I am so glad to hear about the swifts. I used to sit on the veranda 
>> rail at home and watch them circle around and around then funnel down 
>> into the chimney at the church behind my grandmother's house in 
>> Liverpool. When the chimney was made inaccessible, I was outraged and 
>> so disappointed even as a child.
>>
>> Question? How does one count that many birds? Is it close to an 
>> actual count, as you say here, or a guestimate from experience? I see 
>> four birds, I can count them, I see 10 I know I am recounting and 
>> then after that I sort of figure this many........mourning doves are 
>> the exception around here. They line up and lay around.
>>
>> http://margmillard.ca
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "James W. Wolford" < 
>> jimwolford@eastlink.ca <mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca> >
>>
>> To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> >;Sent: 
>> Wednesday, May 21, 2008 1:40 AM
>>
>> Subject: [NatureNS] 81 chimney swifts in Wolfville May 20/08
>>
>>
>>
>>> MAY 20, 2008 - Harold Forsyth and I checked out the CHIMNEY SWIFTS at
>>>
>>> dusk at Wolfville's Robie Tufts Nature Centre, observing there from
>>>
>>> 8:30 to 9:05 p.m. (Sunset time 8:41).   Again the swifts flew about
>>>
>>> for a long time before the substantial flock of 80 SWIFTS all went in
>>>
>>> at 9:00.  Then a single laggard swift entered the chimney by itself
>>>
>>> at 9:03 after some very erratic manoeuvers in the air.   Thus we had a
>>>
>>> seemingly accurate TOTAL OF 81 SWIFTS.   If memory serves, and since
>>>
>>> we are  early in the migration period, this number bodes well for
>>>
>>> having substantially more swifts this year than our best totals for
>>>
>>> one night of about 80 for the past two seasons (and Hurricane Wilma
>>>
>>> of late autumn of 2005 gets the blame.
>>>
>>>
>>> Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, 542-9204
>>>
>>>
>>
>


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