The Pilchuck Audubon Society and the Monroe Swift Night Out Committee are gearing up for this year's annual Swift Night Out event.
The 2014 Monroe Swift Night Out will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 5 p.m. to dusk at Wagner Performing Arts Center, which is located at 639 W. Main St.
Folks are invited to gather at the center, where every year thousands of migrating Vaux's swifts are known to swirl through the air as they prepare to roost within the Wagner Center chimney. There will be informational booths, lectures, children's activities and a $6 spaghetti dinner.
Guests are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs so that they can observe the unique event in comfort.
Measuring at about four to five inches in length, the Vaux's swifts are the smallest and most plentiful species of swifts in Washington State. Each year the social creatures stop in Monroe to roost in the chimney before continuing on with their migration. While they typically prefer to roost in hollowed-out trees, they will frequently utilize brick chimneys as a substitute resting place.
Because of the way the swifts' feet are shaped, they require a rough surface wherever they choose to roost.
Monroe Swift Night Out Committee Chairperson Judy Alles explained that they look forward to the return of the swifts every year and are excited for the event. The swifts' behavior as they prepare to roost inside the chimney is notable; first they gather and circle the chimney in flight, and then as they begin to drop inside, they reverse direction and enter the chimney tail-first.
A webcam positioned inside the Frank Wagner chimney has revealed that, once inside, the birds overlap each other like "shingles,GÇ¥ and as they rest, their metabolism slows to a nearly dormant state to safeguard their energy.
Alles has donated endless hours counting the swifts during their spring and fall migrations through Monroe. In July, she got to hold an orphaned swift in her hand and release the delicate bird into a flock of waiting swifts surrounding the chimney at Wagner Center.
"It was pure joy,GÇ¥ said Alles. "To hold one of those sweet little birds in your hand after nearly seven years of only seeing them from afar was absolutely delightful. A truly unforgettable experience!GÇ¥
A total of 11 orphaned swift babies were brought to Monroe in July to be released back into the flock. The rescued birds had been cared for in their infancy by a Covington woman named Tamara Schemp. Schemp, who has been a rescue volunteer for over four years, has rehabilitated many different types of birds.
She shared with Alles that Vaux's swifts are "the sweetest, gentlest birds she has ever handled.GÇ¥
While the birds can also be observed in the spring, the fall migration is much more significant in size due to the young swifts migrating with their parents. The swifts typically begin gathering near the chimney about an hour before sunset, which is scheduled to occur at 7:26 p.m. on the evening of the swift watch.
The Frank Wagner chimney, a 4-foot by 4-foot square, reaches 31 feet in height. In September of 2010, as many as 26,000 Vaux's swifts were observed entering the chimney in one evening. The chimney, which was enhanced earlier in 2010 to provide for earthquake retrofitting, was also equipped with webcam equipment.
There are currently webcams both inside and outside the chimney, and a live feed featuring the tiny swifts each evening as they start to enter the chimney can be viewed from the Monroe Swifts website.
Monroe Swift Night Out will take place at Wagner Performing Arts Center, formerly Frank Wagner Elementary School, 639 W. Main St. in Monroe. An informative lecture about the swifts will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Frank Wagner Auditorium, and instructors will be available from 6 to 8 p.m. to answer specific questions.
A spaghetti dinner will be available for $6, hotdogs for $1 and apple crisp for $1. For additional information on the Vaux's swifts, or to view the live streaming video feed, please visit: http://monroeswifts.org/. Additional information can be found here: http://monroeswifts.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Monroe-Swifts-Brochure-2014.pdf.
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