- Details
Vaux's Swifts are starting to roost in the Riverside Community Church chimney in Rainier. See a live view into the chimney here (https://vauxhappeningor.click2stream.com/), best view the camera around sunset or sunrise.
Folks wishing to check out this phenomenon for themselves will have the best chance from half an hour before sunset until half an hour after sunset. The southward migration of the swifts starts at the end of August, affording us more opportunities to view thousands of them entering the chimney. You can watch them from the corner of W D St and W 3rd St on the north side of Riverside Community Church.
Check it out and say hi to Carolyn, Juni and Terri.
- Details
Vaux's Swifts are starting to roost in the Riverside Community Church chimney in Rainier. See a live view into the chimney here (https://vauxhappeningor.click2stream.com/)
Folks wishing to check out this phenomenon for themselves will have the best chance from half an hour before sunset until half an hour after sunset. The northward migration of the swifts sarts in May, affording us more opportunities to view thousands of them entering the chimney. You can watch them from the lower parking lot accessible from the corner of W D St and W 3rd St on the north side of Riverside Community Church.
Check it out and say hi to Carolyn, Juni and Terri.
- Details
The Cowlitz PUD Osprey cam is live again. The first osprey arrived on March 30th for the 2025 season.
Cowlitz PUD provides a free children’s guide (PDF) built around Osprey Migration and Electrical Safety. See the videos on YouTube: Camera one has a view from above, and camera two from the side with the audio.
- Details
We hope you don't miss the spectacle that is the Vaux's swifts entering the chimney at Riverside Community Church in Rainier to roost for the night along their migration route. Numbers have been as high as 18,000. So, make your way to Rainier, have a nice dinner at one of the restaurants there and get over to the corner at W D St and W 3rd St near Fox Creek. We have arranged for several tables at El Tapatio Restaurant, 117 West "A" street for a 5:30pm group dinner on September 26. Everyone is expected to pay their own way. Walk-in are welcome or you can contact Gloria Nichols at (360) 636-3793 or by
The birds can be unpredictable but, in general, if the weather is relatively calm, they begin entering the roost around an hour before sunset and conclude half an hour after sunset.
The Oregonian recently featured the Vaux's Swifts in Rainier Ore, check out the video below and see our volunteers in action.
If the video is not loading watch it on YouTube.
- Details
Several years ago, Darrel Whipple and crew removed the grating covering the smokestack at Riverside Community church in Rainier OR. The purpose was to attract Vaux's swifts during their twice-yearly migration.
The southward migration of the swifts from all over the Northwest usually starts in September, affording us more opportunities to view thousands of them entering the chimney. The success was greater that possibly imagined. One Sunday night in early September last year saw 25000 birds enter the chimney before dark. Similar counts happen each night during the 3-4 weeks of migration. You can watch them and meet our volunteers from the corner of W D St and W 3rd St near Fox Creek in Rainier, Ore.
Larry Schwitters of Vaux’s Happening sent out the rankings for the top 14 roost sites on the flyway for the migration. Rainier's Riverside Community Church ranked first, second or third in all three categories!
Enjoy the video below and come and see the spectacle in person.
The birds can be unpredictable but, in general, if the weather is relatively calm, they begin entering the roost around an hour before sunset and conclude half an hour after sunset.
The Oregonian recently featured the Vaux's Swifts in Rainier Ore, check out the video below and see our volunteers in action.
If the video is not loading watch it on YouTube.