May 18, 2011

Chimney swifts

We have lived in the same house for 20 years, and each spring a family of chimney swifts nests here. As the name would imply, they build the nests directly in the chimney. They make the most wonderful sounds. The chirps and peeps are nice, but my favorite sound is the whooshing noise that comes down the chimney as they fly about. When the babies hatch, they let out loud chirps when a parent nears with food. Over the years, a couple of babies have dropped to their deaths onto our hearth. But the vast majority survive. One day we notice all is quiet and realize they have moved on. I’m always a bit sad when that happens, though I know I shouldn’t be. And we always know they will return the following year. I wonder who comes back? It can’t still be the original pair. I like to think it’s some of the babies, returning to the place of their birth, to begin the cycle again. I’m honored that they do it here. We never build a fire, so that they can keep this place.

We are about to put our house on the market, and I will not sell it unless I trust the buyers to protect the swifts.

posted by in animals, family, gratitude | * | 4 comments 

comments

  1. Daryl Scroggins on May 18th, 2011 at 8:36 am

    Lovely–the way you told this Cindy. A gentle tone touches the long time of its fluttering.

  2. Deron Bauman on May 18th, 2011 at 10:19 am

    Thank you.

  3. Kelsey Parker on May 18th, 2011 at 12:39 pm

    The swifts were one of my many favorite parts when I visited your home for motherfucker last summer.

  4. Amy Mabli on May 18th, 2011 at 1:23 pm

    Yes, this is lovely, Cindy. I hope you have swifts at your new home, too.

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