The Square Cap on the Chimney Keeps the Swifts Out

For the last couple of years, we’ve had chimney swifts nesting in out chimneys. And each year, it seems they brought more and more of their friends. While it WAS fun to sit out on the deck of an evening and watch them dive and swoop and chatter through the sky above us, sitting at the dining room tables was noisy. The birds nested down in the chimney and we’d hear them in there fluttering and chattering for hours. Then, when they started finding their way into the house last summer, I’d had enough of their fun and games. Chimney swifts cannot land and perch horizontally. They rest on vertical surfaces they can cling to making the inside of masonry chimneys, hollow trees, and old abandoned buildings perfect for nesting. You aren’t supposed to handle them yourself. You are supposed to call the experts to come get them. I didn’t know that at the time so I did carefully let them out through the door in the family room. Besides, we live way out in the country. There aren’t any bird experts near who could come rescue a swift.

While I have sincere love for God’s creatures, I don’t necessarily want them living in my house. So, last fall, I asked Mr. FixIt to cover the chimney tops to keep them out. Because chimney swifts are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, we waited till all the fledglings had left the nest and the birds migrated south before we locked them out for good. These sweet migratory birds will return year after year to the same nesting site, so we needed to get the new chimney caps on before they returned in the spring.

One evening last week, we were sitting outside having dinner when I heard the familiar chitter-chatter calls from the swifts and I knew they’d returned. We sat and watched as they dove down toward the chimneys and pulled up at the last moment when they detected the obstacle before them. Time after time, they dove down. I felt really guilty for displacing them, but I knew they would soon be off to find a suitable place to nest. It wasn’t a day or two when they had moved on.

There’s always something new to learn living in the country. While this isn’t my first rodeo, I find myself Googling all kinds of things to learn more about my surroundings and the proper way of doing things. And anytime I’m doing anything regarding wildlife, I’ve learned to do my research before I start working. We went to town Saturday and I didn’t consider it would be dark when we got home. We should have put the cat up for the night before we left. As it was, we pulled into the driveway and off went a raccoon, running out of the building. I’m sure it was having a field day with Pumpkin’s cat food. Yesterday, I noticed she was scratching, so I went right out and treated her for fleas and ticks. I’m sure Rocky Raccoon brought some hitch hikers in with him.

I spent the afternoon yesterday sorting and filing two or three years worth of papers and shredded another three bags full. That was the last of it so I fixed up my new extension cord by my recliner, connected my chargers, and got things tidied up in the family room. I’ve made great progress toward getting and feeling more organized. I’m counting down the days till the girls get here and I can’t wait. I wish Hannah and Kate were coming, too. But they both have new jobs so it will be a while before they come to West Virginia.

We are going today to decorate graves of our loved ones. I pray you find peace today and the memories of your loved ones passed brings you comfort.

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“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 14:27 ESV