LVAS Chimney Swift towers now proven to be used by the species for nesting

Scott Burnet (LVAS Habitat Committee Chairman), and his wife Linda Shankweiler (LVAS Social Committee Chair) discovered two Chimney Swift nests on 8/27/16, in the LVAS swift tower located just east of Cedar Beach pool in Cedar Creek Parkway, near Lake Muhlenberg. Today marked the first internal inspection of this tower, since it was completed in fall of 2014. Single birds had been observed entering the tower during the day, both during breeding season last spring and this spring as well. It was hoped that nesting had occurred, but today's discovery of actual nests provides physical evidence. As a follow up, Scott and Linda plan to do an inspection of the tower on the island at the lake tomorrow morning (8/28). This will be the first internal inspection of this tower since the causeway to the island was removed two years ago. Access is now only possible via boat, and with permission from the Allentown Parks Dept. It is hoped that similar findings will be made there also, as swifts have been observed entering that structure during nesting season over the past few years since that tower was finished in late summer of 2013.