I just saw the most amazing thing

[spinbaby]

I just saw the most amazing thing out back. Birds over our neighbor's house. Hundreds of birds swirling in a circle like a giant tornado in the evening sky. As I watched, there were fewer and fewer birds swirling, and soon I realized they were all going down our neighbor's chimney. In a few minutes they were all gone. I guess they were chimney swifts.

Suppose I should let our neighbor know he's hosting hundreds of birds in his chimney?

[crispini]

1. That many birds in one chimney?

He's GOTTA know. My parents had one nest in their chimney and they knew. Those little dudes are LOUD. I bet he's just waiting until they split for the fall.

[obxhead]

2. Are you sure they were birds?

That sounds a lot more like something bats would do.

[spinbaby]

3. Definitely birds

I just looked it up and in the bird book they had a picture of chimney swifts over a chimney labeled "chimney swifts roosting."

[obxhead]

4. mmm. Chimney Swifts.

learn something new every day.

[Akoto]

5. Either they're nesting in his chimey, or ...

Your neighbor is a werebird. I think that's more likely.

[Kire]

6. Did you tell your neighbor?

is he home?

[spinbaby]

7. Didn't tell him

He's the type who'd probably try to dislodge them with a fire. I checked and the swifts are due to migrate to South America soon. After they leave, then I'll tell him and hopefully he'll screen off the chimney.

I've done a bit of reading up on chimney swifts--they eat just tons fo mosquitos so they're very desirable to have around, but they've been declining. People build towers for them to nest in--they hang onto the vertical surfaces inside. I think I'll look into building our local birds a tower.