Chimney swifts (not sweeps) have been gone or at least silent in my town for over a month, but today I went down to Bethlehem, less than 10 miles away, and they were up above chattering all over town as if it were the middle of summer. Why the difference I wonder? Did my town cap the big communal chimney they were using when they first arrive every year and also once the young fledged*? I hope not or we won't have them here next year. We'll have to wait and see.
*A few years ago a Bethlehem birding group crowd-funded a big chimney for swifts to use when one on an old building was being demolished. I made a contribution in memory of my brother who loved swifts.













