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Hi,
All good questions. It is hard to tell in the video, but the camera is posi=
tioned in the corner of the chimney, right at the lip so it doesn't block t=
he entrance or exit of the birds. We installed the cameras before swifts re=
turned so as not to disturb the birds while they were roosting, and to give=
them time to get used to the presence of the camera. They don't seem to be=
avoiding the camera or bracket at all. It is also totally silent, except f=
or a barely audible 'click' when it switches to infrared at night.
The chimney cleanout is now sealed off behind a wall or two, but school sta=
ff found another small opening partway up the chimney and were able to peer=
down to check for old nest bowls. I'm not sure that they could distinguish=
anything from the material at the bottom of the chimney though.
The birds are definitely taking their time emerging in the morning, this ea=
rly in the season. Last week they exited at 9:50am (on a windy, overcast d=
ay). As Jim Wolford mentioned in an earlier post, they usually leave quite =
early, at first light.
Interestingly, it looks like the swifts are choosing to roost at a specific=
depth each night, pretty well halfway between the bottom and top of the ch=
imney. The chimney is sealed off and not used by the school anymore, so per=
haps cold air pools at the bottom? It would be interesting to know the temp=
erature profile of the flue. I have checked overnight footage of the birds =
and was surprised at how active they were. They were looking around, stretc=
hing, and occasionally flying from one wall to another but generally remain=
ing at the same depth until morning, when they began the "leap-frogging" pr=
ocess to exit the chimney. It will be interesting to follow their behaviour=
as the season progresses.
Cheers,
Ally
From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] =
On Behalf Of desolatechair@gmail.com
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2012 12:01 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] YouTube of Chimney Swifts leaving Middleton chimney=
this morning
This is wonderfully interesting, thanks a bunch!
I assume the camera is unobtrusive? Do you ever find any birds at the botto=
m of the flue (I assume there is a cleanout)?
These birds are sleeping in! Given sunrise was 0550 May 14 the sun had been=
up for two hours!
Very curious the way they 'creep' up before leaving. Do the birds perhaps e=
nter a semi comatose state overnight and gradually wake up and warm up?
Great stuff Middleton!
>
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nk=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'f=
ont-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hi, <o:p>=
</o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-=
family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p=
class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","s=
ans-serif";color:#1F497D'>All good questions. It is hard to tell in the vid=
eo, but the camera is positioned in the corner of the chimney, right at the=
lip so it doesn’t block the entrance or exit of the birds. We instal=
led the cameras before swifts returned so as not to disturb the birds while=
they were roosting, and to give them time to get used to the presence of t=
he camera. They don’t seem to be avoiding the camera or bracket at al=
l. It is also totally silent, except for a barely audible ‘click̵=
7; when it switches to infrared at night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=3DM=
soNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"=
;color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span styl=
e=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The=
chimney cleanout is now sealed off behind a wall or two, but school staff =
found another small opening partway up the chimney and were able to peer do=
wn to check for old nest bowls. I’m not sure that they could distingu=
ish anything from the material at the bottom of the chimney though.<o:p></o=
:p></span></p><p class=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-fam=
ily:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p cl=
ass=3DMsoNormal><span style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans=
-serif";color:#1F497D'>The birds are definitely taking their time emerging =
in the morning, this early in the season. Last week they exited a