One of the many perks of living in Portland is the opportunity to witness the aerial acrobatics of the Vaux Swifts. These birds arrive in Oregon in the spring, pair up, hatch their eggs, and raise their young. By September, they're congregating in large groups to begin their migration south to Central America and Venezuela.
The large smokestack at Chapman Elementary is one of the regular rest stops (aka roosts) on their journey. Head to the school about an hour before sunset to watch thousands of Swifts feeding and flying before they settle in for the night.