“Swift Watch” planned in Roseburg

ROSEBURG, Ore. – Migrating Vaux’s Swifts are returning to Roseburg – just in time for a local group of bird lovers to set up “Swift Watch” on Friday, Sept. 19, and Friday, Sept. 26.

About 1,000 of the mysterious birds suddenly began showing up again two nights ago in Fir Grove Park, where they are roosting for the night in the chimney of a community clay studio, said Diana Wales, board member and past president of the Umpqua Valley Audubon Society.

“I am delighted. I am mystified by what’s going on,” Wales said Wednesday, Sept. 17. “I love nature. It is so unpredictable. No matter how much we think we know, we don’t know enough. There’s always something to learn.”

The local Audubon Society chapter had given up hope of witnessing the spectacle of the birds’ seasonal migration this year – and had announced Sunday, Sept. 14, that “Swift Watch” would not be held in Roseburg this autumn. That was after no “swoops” or large flocks of swifts had been seen in Roseburg since UVAS members began watching at the start of August.

While there are several chimneys around town where 200 to 300 birds roosted in the past, the largest group would stop overnight at the Umpqua Valley Arts’ Clay Place chimney in Fir Grove Park in spring and fall. In fact, they’ve roosted there during migrations each spring and fall for at least 50 to 60 years Three years ago, the swifts abandoned that chimney.

Their natural habitat is old-growth forest, but swifts have lost much natural habitat and even chimneys used for roosting and nesting. Cold weather can be problematic for them, so about sunset, they gather in tight formations and circle around old hollow trees or chimneys, zoom around the top and quickly drop inside to cuddle up next to each other, Wales said.

In 2022, the birds briefly used a chimney at the Douglas County Courthouse for the fall migration roost, but the county’s chimney had to be capped because that still serves as a backup to the courthouse’s heating system. The chimney’s activation would have endangered any Vaux’s Swifts roosting there.

Since then, the swifts’ appearance has been unpredictable. Last fall, there were hardly any at the Clay Place, Wales said.

Last week, UVAS began asking for the public’s help to track down large numbers of the birds. About a dozen people contacted the group to report seeing swifts roosting near sunset – sometimes as many as 50 to 100 birds. In fact, about 100 swifts have been roosting every night in the chimney at Wales’ home in Roseburg for the last month, Wales said.

Small groups of swifts have been spotted at dispersed locations throughout Roseburg. Audubon members who continued monitoring the Clay Place chimney actually saw up to 100 roost in a chimney at the nearby Betty Long Unruh Theater for several nights.

Then Monday, Sept. 15, UVAS got two reports that a lot of swifts had been seen at the Clay Place. UVAS President Mark Hamm went out last night -- Tuesday, Sept. 16. He videotaped about 1,000 birds dropping into the chimney at sunset.

The tiny, mostly gray birds are too small to be tagged. While their wingspan stretches 10 to 12 inches, they measure only 4.5 inches beak to tail and weigh about half an ounce – about the same as an average strawberry or five U.S. pennies.

“Swift Watch” is a free event offered by the Umpqua Valley Audubon Society and Roseburg Parks and Recreation. The event will be held outside the Umpqua Valley Arts’ Clay Place chimney behind the UVA Center, 1624 W. Harvard Ave., starting at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, and Friday, Sept. 26. Organizers encourage people to bring a folding chair, camp chair or blanket – or just watch from cars.

Swifts usually enter the chimney at about sunset, which will be at 7:15 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, and 7:02 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26. But the birds could roost earlier or later, depending on weather.

Audubon Society members will be available to answer questions about the birds. Local flutists, the Winds of Umpqua, are expected to perform Native American-style music both nights.

With any luck, the swifts will show up, too.

“We can’t guarantee they’ll be there any particular night. They might disappear from the Clay Place tonight,” Wales said.

For more information, contact UVAS at info@umpquaaudubon.org.