By Donna Legare
Jody and I have lived in our house in Betton Hills for over 30 years. Every spring we host a pair of chimney swifts who nest in our chimney. We are so used to their happy chittering sounds that we laugh when visiting friends look astonished by bird sounds coming from the fireplace. One of the nicest things about having nesting or roosting swifts is watching them zoom above the roof and the surrounding live oaks in the evening hunting for insects, finally settling in for the night at dusk. The swifts migrate to South America before we have any interest in winter fires.
Jody Walthall making the cuts in the shiplap paneling for the tower walls, Jim Carr holding it steady.
The chimney swift population is in decline. Historically they nested in large hollow trees that barely exist anymore. They have long since switched to nesting in chimneys and other human made structures. Now, however, most people either do not have chimneys or have placed caps over the ones they have.
Many Audubon Chapters have successfully installed chimney swift towers in parks, and this is exactly what Apalachee Audubon Society has decided to do.
The twelve-foot tower is for just one pair, but the tower and its interpretive sign will provide information about this fascinating species and what we can do to encourage them. It may also be used later in the season for congregating swifts prior to migration.
Completed Chimney Swift Tower Sections with Jody Walthall and Jim Carr. They will be stacked to make a 12 foot tower.
Jody Walthall is an experienced woodworker and small boat builder. He has volunteered to build the tower and has worked with Kenny Welsh with the City of Tallahassee Parks and Recreation to choose the location at Lake Elberta. Kathleen and Jim Carr have helped with the initial building which is taking place in our home carport. Let me know (dlegare@comcast.net) if you would like to help with the construction and installation of the tower. Natasza Fontaine, artist and biologist, has agreed to add her artwork to the tower and Ann Morrow, retired biologist, and writer, is working on the wording for the interpretive sign. It is a group effort.
Here is another way you can help. Though the labor is donated, the lumber and other materials are costly, and the production of the interpretive sign is about double the cost of materials, but we feel the sign is of utmost importance. Our goal is to raise $3000. So please chip in whatever you can to this project. We’ve already received a donation of $500 from AAS members Wolfgang and Winnie Adolph to kick off the fundraising! Be sure to indicate “chimney swift tower” on your check and mail to:
Apalachee Audubon Society
PO Box 1237
Tallahassee FL 32302-1237
