Baby Chimney Swifts to be released tonight from King's roof

Several baby Chimney Swifts will be released from the roof of King’s at 6 p.m. August 15, 2014 by Swift Care Ontario. The threatened Chimney Swift is flourishing at King’s University College, Western in a chimney on top of Wemple Hall, 266 Epworth Ave., London. The goal is to have the baby birds join the King’s family of Chimney Swifts as they return to roost this evening.

In August large waves of migrating swifts have been overnighting in Wemple Hall chimney on their way south. This past week upwards of 700 birds an evening return to the chimney at dusk. “We keep the young birds in their enclosure with an eye to the sky. They hear the adults calling and once they are released, shoot up like rockets to join them. It is quite a sight,” says Carolyn Denstedt, Co-Director, Swift Care Ontario.

King’s is proud to support the initiative as part of its commitment to the protection of the environment.
Media are invited tonight, Friday August 15, 2014, to see the spectacle of large numbers of Chimney Swifts diving/dropping into the chimney for the night. Media will be escorted to the roof of Wemple Hall at 5:45 p.m. for an optimum view.

Please rsvp if you want a spot on the Wemple Roof tonight. Wemple Hall is located at 266 Epworth Ave, just east of Richmond and the Western gates. Parking is available in Lot 1 by indicating you are with the media. We will gather at the front door of Wemple at 5:45 p.m.