Birding In The Dining Room!

  There was yet another "birding" episode on the Bayou, today.  Well, it was sort of IN the Little Bayou House!  Our "screechers" took up residence in the chimney as they usually do.  These are the chimney swifts that so many folks despise but I simply adore.  The poor creatures are being put out of house and home due to folks not wishing to share their (for the summer months) unused chimneys with critters.  You hear all sorts of strange tales from folks about how you can catch everything from head lice to leprosy from the birds.  Sorry...none of that is true, folks.  The birds actually help prevent diseases by catching a lot of mosquitoes that carry some pretty deadly things at times.  Think about this the next time your chimney is screeching with baby swifts.  Two parent birds and their offspring can eat up to 12,000 flying insects every day!  Yes! 12.000!!!  That is a lot of insects that would be annoying if left to bother us.  Now consider that several families of swifts can reside in one chimney!  That is even more insects!  The chimney swifts catch flying insects while they, themselves, are in flight.  A lot of those flying insects are things like mosquitoes, gnats, deer flies, horse flies, house flies and, the worst pest of all, termites!  Now, having some baby birds in the chimney does not sound so bad, does it??  If it does to you, then plan on calling an exterminator to rid your place of pests or douse yourself with insect repellent.

  I knew there were several nests of swifts in the chimney...how could I not?  I knew the little ones were to take flight soon by the fluttering and the strong calls emanating from the fireplace.  The wait was on until at least one of the little ones would decide to take a shortcut to the outside.  Instead of flying up the chimney, occasionally one or more of the little ones come down into the house.  No problem.  I simply pick them up as they are so docile (almost tame!) and carry them outside. The little birds succeed in getting someone to help them escape the confines of the dark chimney!  This is only done if the birds are flight capable.  If not, each little one is carefully put back up on the smoke shelf of the fireplace (yes, we have the old-style brick fireplace).  

  The little one,today, was fully ready to take flight. It allowed me to pick it up, tote it outside and even get a photo!  The little tyke sat on my open palm for about a minute before the parent birds came into sight and our little rascal took to the skies!  All's well that ends well.  Tonight, the swifts will return to the chimney to rest but will be at work again at daybreak.  I love these birds!