Chapman School Swifts

What a crazy sight that was to see!  I didn't realize how long the whole process is to get into the chimney every night.  First a few come to check out the surroundings.  They do this off and on for a bit.  Then they finally start gathering up and every few minutes you think ok, so this is about it then, and before you know it thousands of swifts are circling the chimney.  And even then they don't go right in.  They gather in a tightly packed circle like a giant tornado, and just like a tornado, they eventually spin themselves into a tiny funnel that leads into the chimney.  They swirl around and around until it's dark and everyone made it in safely.  Some even come back out and in again, probably trying to find a good spot among all of the other birds.

• Vaux's Swifts
• Cooper's Hawk

At the beginning this Cooper's Hawk came by looking for a snack.

Tornado of Swifts