At dusk, we love sitting out in our yard, watching the birds dart around in circles overhead. There’s dozens of them, all the same kind, that come out as the sun sets. We’ve pointed them out to friends lots of times.
Well, a couple nights ago, Katy and I were sitting in the yard having drinks. “I wonder if they’re all over Rollinsford or just over our house,” I said.
“One just went in the chimney!” Katy exclaimed. It didn't dive as much as flap to a midair standstill and then fall inside.
I did a little research, and they’re called Eastern Swifts. They’re a protected migratory bird, and no joke, people sometimes build fake chimneys for them to live in, so they have a place to sleep.
On my sister’s birthday (Happy birthday, Hannah-Joy Waechter 🥳), we sat out under the lights with cheesecake counting the birds falling into our chimney. First one went in, then another. Then three more. Then four in quick succession. We counted forty-four birds in. our. chimney. 😮😲 They must be polite little guests, because we've never heard them.
First the 🐿, then the 🐍, now forty-four Eastern Swifts. We might as well be Uncle Vernon telling our children they can’t have pets, while the wizarding world keeps sending them.
Joel and Katy
#LiveJoyfullyDoGreatThingsCelebrateFamily