Oct 23 Report: Tonight we went to count the Chimney Swifts in Dayton and there were none. We counted 320 last week and knew they were due to leave but expected them to taper off instead of just all being gone at one time. Paul and Georgan Kyle wrote that this it typical. They explained that a fall Chimney Swift roost in Texas will normally leave all at once with the first cold frontal passage in October.

Previous Numbers: 320 (10/16), (183 (10/9), 230 (10/2), 275 (9/25), 215 (9/4), 558 (8/28), 450 (8/21), 463 (8/14), 323 (8/10), 300+ (8/9), 231 (7/31), 236 (7/24), 226 (7/17), 203 (7/10), 192 (7/3), 224 (6/26) 181 (6/19), 146 (6/12), 137 (6/5), 96 (5/29).

Background: We hope to count Chimney Swifts at the old American Rice Growers Association rice dryer in Dayton each Thursday and would welcome anyone who would like to join us. We meet at the northeast corner of Hwy 321 and FM 1960 in the bank parking lot. Bring binoculars, a lawn chair, and be prepared to count over 200 swifts as they dart into the rice dryer. They don't call them "swifts" for nothing.

--Barbara Tilton