Swifts Night Out Draws a Crowd, and the Swifts Delivered

By Brian Zinke

Roughly 600 people gathered for this year's Swifts Night Out, and the swifts did not disappoint. As evening settled in, about 1,500 Vaux's Swifts streamed into the roost, swirling overhead before dropping into the chimney for the night.

The weather had other plans at first. A stretch of rain rolled through as the crowd was arriving, and for a while it looked like the show might be a soggy one. Then the rain cleared and the swifts picked up right where the evening was meant to start. Nobody seemed to mind the wait. Umbrellas came down, cameras came up, and the mood turned from damp to delighted.

Then came a moment of real drama. A Merlin swooped in and attacked the flock, sending the swifts scattering as they dodged the falcon. The Merlin was successful in its hunt, and an additional swift fell from the sky and landed in the grass. Fortunately, it recovered after a few minutes and flew off under its own power. For many in the crowd, it was a firsthand look at the predator and prey dynamics that shape a swift's life during migration. Gasps rippled through the crowd, followed by cheers as the flock regrouped and continued its descent.

Events like this show what community science and conservation are all about. Hundreds of neighbors, families, and curious first-timers stood side by side to watch one of the most remarkable bird spectacles in the Pacific Northwest, and many of them left with a new appreciation for these tiny aerial acrobats and the aging chimneys they depend on.

A huge thank you to everyone who came out, to our volunteers who made the evening run smoothly, and to the Monroe Arts Council and City of Monroe for welcoming us. We hope to see you next year!

Courtesy Elaine Chuang

Courtesy Elaine Chuang

Video with slow motion. Courtesy Elaine Chuang