Swifter, Higher, Stronger

Funky Folks we came across the Jane Goodall of Chimney Swifts. We call him “e-Volvo” because we now recognize his presence when we see the old Volvo in the school parking lot across the street from our home. He was was evolving his relationship with Chimney Swifts as Jane Goodall had done with Chimpanzees.

Chimney Swifts are different from upstanding birds. They can’t stand so they cling. Their sooty grey color with slender wings having raised tips to reduce drag makes them swifter and distinctive. The three forward one back claw design enables them to cling. The ability to swing the back claw forward enables a stronger cling. That is so funky.

They are so called because of their propensity to fly from on high into a chimney like a kamikaze pilot on a desperate mission. Even more funky is their nesting habit. Like mountaineers who spend the night in a tent fastened to the rock-face so do these Chimney Swifts fashion themselves a nest of twigs and saliva that clings to the inside wall of the chimneys.

These swifts are gregarious creatures preferring the company of others, are monogamous and likely live for four years without the disruption of chimney sweeps. When winter comes they do a snowbird migration to the south so they won’t bothered by the heat and smoke from fires and Santa of course.

We first came across e-Volvo on returning from a walk weeks ago. He was sitting on stonework with his legs resting on the sidewalk. He was pointing his camera to the sky. There as nothing special about his subject as far as we could see. A notebook lay on the stonework beside him. He looked intense as if did not want to be disturbed. We thought no more of it and continued home just several strides away.

Several weeks later we noticed a felllow in the school parking-lot across the street from our house. He was looking up to the sky, at times there were hints of tai-chi movements in his arms or was he pointing or perhaps praying? Mimicking the Chimney Swifts flight is a more likely explanation. This became a regular occurrence. At first we did not associate e-Volvo with our fellow in the parking lot.

Then it dawned on us. They were one and the same. He was focused on the Chimney Swifts for good reasons as we were focused on him.

So Funky Folks next time you see a chimney take a break, sit on the side of the sidewalk, have a camera ready and stare at the chimney mouth as if in a trance.

Ignore the stares of passerby’s. The reward is well worth it but don’t leave your hat on the ground. That will beg questions.

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