IT'S BACK! Our popular September Swift Night Out Social, co-hosted with the BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin, is returning for round two! Pack a dinner or grab some takeout, bring a lawn chair or blanket, and meet us on the lawn of Cherokee Heights Middle School (4301 Cherokee Dr, Madison, WI 53711) on Friday, September 9th at 6:30pm.

We hope this evening will be the perfect opportunity for our members to socialize, meet new people who love birds, and of course learn about Chimney Swifts and their unique roosting behaviors! If you haven't visited a swift roost or participated in a Swift Night Out event before, you won't want to miss this. The spectacle of hundreds of Chimney Swifts pouring into the tall chimney is a sight to behold.

No RSVP required. There is a wide, open lawn with ample space for everyone to safely spread out. Extra binoculars will be available.Be sure to bring: Food and drink for yourself, a blanket or lawn chair, a jacket for when the sun goes down, and your binoculars (though this is a sight that can easily be enjoyed without them!)

Accessibility info: There is free parking available in the school parking lot and along nearby sidestreets. There are two short sets of stairs from the parking lot to the lawn. There is a wheelchair ramp, but it does not lead all the way to the lawn. If you need to avoid stairs, we recommend parking on a nearby side street (Nakoma or Midvale).

Note: Chimney Swifts begin using communal roosts in late August and September. While they have historically used the tall chimney at Cherokee Heights, there is always a possibility they may choose a different, nearby roosting site this year or the timing of their roosting will shift. We won't know until early September if that's the case, but we'll update everyone if the location or date changes!