Thursday, May 26, 2011

SWF and Chimney Swifts



For my Skywatch Friday

Thanks to Jeanne, one of my birding friends this weekend I added the Chimney Swift to my life list. Jeanne told me that the Chimney Swifts were seen flying in and around a church steeple in New Freedom, Pa. New Freedom is just a short drive from my house since I live close to the Md-Pa line.  So hubby and I took a ride to our favorite ice cream place called Bonkey's in New Freedom which just happens to be just down the street from the church. 



I was able to watch my lifer the Chimeny Swift flying around the skies above my car while I was parked near the church eating my ice cream cone. It was sad to see that the church had put up wire fence or netting around their steeple. I guess the birds are not wanted inside their steeple.

The chimney swifts fly around fast like the swallows and they remind me of bats. I wasn't able to see them fly into the steeple but I did see them flying around the neighborhood. Here is a link to the Wikipedia Chimney Swifts so you can see what they look like up close. They were flying much too fast for me to get a close up.


Next, I have some shots of the sunset and a pretty sky on the way home from seeing the Chimney Swifts.





A sundog




I hope you enjoyed my skywatch and if you are ever near New Freedom, Pa you should try Bonkey's homemade icecream.  To see more beautiful skies from all around the world click here Skywatch Friday.  Thanks to the host of Skywatch: Sylvia, Sandy, Wren and Klaus.  Also, thank you for visiting my post and blog, I hope you have a great weekend.

39 comments:

  1. Glad you got to add another bird. And ice cream makes it even better!

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  2. Congratulations on the lifer, Eileen! I've never seen a mass of swifts circling but I was lucky enough one time to see nighthawks circling a lighted building to feed off the insects. It's amazing to watch something like that.

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  3. Another one ticked off the list - well done!
    Lovely skies, too - a good day all round, I think:-)

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  4. A new bird, a favourite ice cream and a stunning sunset. Life is good!

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  5. those skies are gorgeous - and the sundog, what a treat! like ice cream! and a new bird!

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  6. You must have an extensive life list! How cool that you added to your list AND had an ice cream. :)

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  7. Hi Eileen, Nice pictures of the fast flying Swifts. I especially enjoyed seeing the picture of the Sundog. Beautiful skies. Have a fantastic day today!

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  8. Boy you are really adding to you list lately-FAB!!!
    Your sky photos are gorgeous also!!

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  9. Wonderful post. Like that last one very much, like it`s painted.
    Happy weekend to you:-)

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  10. That sounds like a great way to bird. I don't have swifts but I do have swallows around here and I find them much to fast to photograph.

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  11. Beautiful photos, especially the sundog, and glad you got to see the Chimney Swifts even if you didn't get up close and personal with them yet.
    — K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  12. Hiya Eileen,

    That was a satisfactory outing, icecream AND birds.
    Plus so many good sunset moments.

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  13. Gorgeous captures as always, Eileen! The sunsets are breathtaking and marvelous shots of the chimney swifts! Hope you have a great weekend!

    Sylvia

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  14. Like the first one. Cool angles

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  15. beautiful sunsets. have a wonderful day.

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  16. It's fantastic skies Eileen. Love it!

    Sky Watch

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  17. Wonderful shots of the chimney swifts and sunset.

    I used to have chimney swifts nesting in my chimney but I put in a protection to keep them from doing it. When I researched it I found out there can be health issues to having them in the chimneys.

    I would hear them in my chimney and I was never sure if they were gone when I was ready for fires. I had never seen them flying but the guy who came to discuss the protection with me pointed them out to me and I caught a glimpse. Then we strategized about the timing of the cover as I didn't want to trap any in my chimney. The guy who did the cover was very knowledgeable and he liked them but there are some real problems with letting them nest in the chimney (sanitation wise) and as I said it made me afraid to use my fire place.

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  18. Your picture of the chimney swifts is beautiful. Iloved the oictures of the colourful sky.

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  19. Beautiful shots of the sunset! And great to find the Chimney Swifts. We actually went to White Marsh last Saturday, but did not spot the blimp as we passed Pimlico on I-695.

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  20. Beautiful photos! What kind of ice cream did you have?

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  21. Spectacular views and wonderful birding experience.

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  22. Its always so educational to visit your blog. I have not even heard of chimney swift.

    Love the soft pastels of your skies, a very good time to capture these precious moments.

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  23. congrats to the lifer! Swifts are always a pleasure to watch. We have the Common Swift, it arrived two weeks ago. But it is soo hard to gaét a good shot at.

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  24. Beautiful photos of the sky, great capture.

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  25. Very interesting about the chimney swifts...never heard of them. Great sky photos...beautiful! I just may check out that ice cream place as we live just about 20 miles from New Freedom Pa. we are almost neighbors.

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  26. Ice cream and a lifer 'screaming' overhead .. great stuff.

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  27. Great shots!
    Have a nice weekend. :O)

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  28. Beautiful skies Eileen, and how wonderful to see another bird. I'm not a birder, but I enjoy those that cross my path. We have a pair of swallows nesting in a box on our place, and I actually got a pic of one of them sitting on a wire recently. It's not a particularly good picture, you understand, but you can see the swallow clearly. I missed a pic of the other bird with its head poking out of the box: story of my life!
    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  29. I always love your sky shots, Eileen...

    Have a great weekend too :)

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  30. Congrats on the lifer Eileen. By the way i don't think we could call an ice cream shop "Bonkey's" over here as bonk has a different meaning.

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  31. WOW Eileen, those skies are beautiful. Great shots

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  32. Good captures of the skies, nice splash of colors.

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  33. beautiful photos!

    Swifts are my favourite bird! They nest near where i live and they dance across the sky so beautifully! (Our swifts are a different species to yours though).

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  34. I love the perspective on your first photo, well done. Great capture on the sundog in that beautiful sunset.

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  35. Could there possibly be a better day? Beautiful birds -- a new 'Lifer', a beautiful blue sky day ....and, oh yeah, wonderful ice cream . Great pictures!!

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