Field Notes
This is where we share what we're finding, in the field, in the data, and in between formal counts.
Some posts are original investigations, things like chimney temperature studies, predator behavior, or site comparisons, done by the Vaux's Happening team. Others are simply updates: how a migration season is shaping up, a surprising count at a site, or news from across the network of over 100 roosts we monitor. Think of it as a running notebook rather than a formal research archive; for peer-reviewed publications, see our Research page.
New here? Browse recent posts below, or filter by topic to find what interests you.
Temperatures Inside the Chimney
What makes a chimney roost so appealing to thousands of swifts? Using electronic temperature loggers placed at multiple depths inside the Monroe Wagner chimney (and compared against outside air temperature), we measured just how much warmer, and more stable, conditions are inside a chimney roost, and how that changes as more swifts pile in.