The Naturalist's CornerWritten by Don Hendershot No, I don’t
mean fly around in a circle above a chimney or smokestack before
disappearing into it. I mean clear your calendar and grab the
kids and head to Asheville’s Grove Arcade this Friday (Sept. 25
from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.) for their annual “Swift Night Out” and
watch as chimney swifts swarm the skies above the arcade before
disappearing into the chimneys to roost. Renowned ornithologist
and field guide author Roger Tory Peterson described the chimney
swift as “a cigar with wings.” It’s an apt description for this
long-winged, five-inch, dark grayish-brown flying machine. If
not nesting, the chimney swift spends its entire day on the
wing. It chases down aerial insects, laps water, bathes and even
gathers nesting materials on the wing. The chimney swift’s short
legs and tiny feet with strong hooked claws are no good for
perching or standing but added to its short, stiff tail, they
are perfect for clinging to vertical surfaces. Before Europeans
made landfall o