Timiskaming Birds Forum

Hi birders I thought i would pass along a request from bird studies canada for anyonewho can help discover chimney swift roost sites. I have seen them in newliskeard and haileybury but i have never followed them to discover where they roost. I was recently sent the protocols for the study if anyone is intersted. The species has expereinced a 50% decline I believe between atlas work. They have identified london ontario as a significant stronghold for the species and have started research there but i thought perhaps there maybe someone in the area that might be interested. This may perhaps be more applicable for next year as they may already have left. There is also a great deal of concern for nighthawks so it might be worthwhile having people post there nighthawk sightings. I have read that all of the aerial foragers are in trouble which may make our work with birdhouses increasingly important. the days of being disaapointed that a tree swallow has taken a bluebird spot are gone.  Any thoughts on any of this will be welcome. I cannot remember buty i think i recall there is a group that is trying to monitor nighthawk migrations. i will look into that.

I saw Nighthawks in Elk Lake last Saturday evening.  I did not have a good vantage to see much sky, so only saw a couple of individuals, though there may have been more.  Last year I saw hundreds on migration through Elk Lake.

Also, Chimney Swifts were commonly seen in Elk Lake when I lived there in 1995 to 1997.  I don't recall having seen them on my visits there since then.

Here's some exciting news...  A friend in Henwood Twp. tells me that they had Purple Martins nesting in their nest box.  There have been two pairs nesting there for several years, and they didn't realize that this was at all unusual, so never bothered to mention it before now.  I'm confident that they know a Tree Swallow from a Martin.  They are gone now, but I have asked them to let me know as soon as they show up next year.

found this just now COSEWIC News: Alarming Declines in Aerial Insectivores; Peregrines Recover 30 April 2007 – The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has recommended several species for inclusion on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act. In April, COSEWIC expressed alarm that aerial-feeding, insect-eating birds are disappearing: both Common Nighthawk and Chimney Swift were assessed as Threatened. Disturbingly, the cause of declines in these two species and other aerial insectivores (e.g. some swallows) is unclear, but is thought likely to involve impacts on insect populations through pesticide use and habitat loss. Red-headed Woodpecker was also assessed as Threatened, having experienced significant long-term declines associated with habitat loss and the removal of dead trees in which it nests. Sharp declines in the migratory Red Knot are also cause for concern; in particular, the subspecies rufa, which breeds only in Arctic Canada, was assessed as Endangered, and the subspecies roselaari, which migrates through BC and breeds in Alaska, was assessed as Threatened. Depletion of horseshoe crab eggs, a critical food source used during northward migration, has been cited as a key contributory factor in these declines. Black-footed Albatross, which feeds in significant numbers off the BC coast and is subject to various threats including by-catch from long-line fisheries, was assessed as Special Concern. There was some good news in the down-listing of the anatum subspecies of Peregrine Falcon to Special Concern, following widespread population recoveries following the ban in Canada of organochlorine pesticides (e.g. DDT). Volunteer-based programs continue to play a major role in assessing the status of birds in Canada. The assessments for Chimney Swift and Common Nighthawk were largely based on results from the Breeding Bird Survey and the second Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas. Likewise, the assessment that resulted in a Threatened status for Red-headed Woodpecker was based upon results from the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and the migration monitoring program at Long Point Bird Observatory. Prothonotary Warbler was reconfirmed as being Endangered, based upon a status report authored by Jon McCracken (BSC’s Ontario Program Manager).

This is huge news I cannot tell you how excited i am about this. What kind of nest  box do they have/ Do they have any video or photo's this ios a huge wow!!!!!! Do you think it is odd that they only have two nesting pairs?? Perhaps if they need a bigger apartment nest box the highschool could build one. I hope it is true.

There are three single opening nest boxes clustered on a telephone pole post near the end of their driveway.  Only two have been used for the last couple of years. The openings are fairly small compared to what Purple Martins usually prefer, and look more appropriately sized for swallows.  If you're interested, I can photograph the boxes that they reportedly used this summer.

The folks who reported this showed me a large Purple Martin Hotel style nest box with three levels and perhaps about 26 holes that they have recently salvaged from the dump.  The holes are appropriately sized for Martins, at about two inches in diameter.  They have plans to refurbish the box and put it up next year.  I will provide some instructions to them on the timing for opening the holes up so that Starlings don't move in and take over.  We'll be monitoring things closely next spring, so watch the forums for updates during next year's breeding season.