When the Swifts Come Home

What a glorious thing. I had one of those I Love Portland times after work when I went up to the Chapman School and watched over 10,000 vaux swifts spiral and organize and dodge through the air and then spin against the sunset into their decommissioned chimney and autumn lodging. Just like last year. And I have to post the same song again because I like it so much. All manner of Portlanders were there with picnic baskets, splits of pinot, piles of bicycles, splayed across the hillside overlooking the athletic fields. I was surrounded by first dates, folding chairs, punk rockers with their laughing babies, and gasps of happy. The weather couldn't have been more beautiful. And it was quite a show. Two peregrine falcons dove into the swarm and then the swifts gave chase, and then the falcons chased, and then when both the falcons found a slow one to pick off midair, the swifts retired for the evening into their chimney, two shy of last night.

Tenement Halls - When the Swifts Come Home