SAVE THE HEDRICK MIDDLE SCHOOL CHIMNEY

The most important roosting site for Vaux’s Swifts in southern Oregon.

RVAS volunteers monitor swifts.

Contact Chapter President Carol Mockridge using the email link to the right if you would like to volunteer to help save the Hedrick chimney.

Hedrick Middle School in Medford Oregon has a tall brick chimney which is an important roost for Vaux’s Swifts during their fall migration. In 2018, Rogue Valley Audubon Society began working with the school district to preserve this chimney. The first step was to upgrade the gymnasium’s old boiler and replace it with a energy saving heating system that didn’t use the chimney as a vent. This was completed in the summer of 2019. In order to save the chimney, it will need to be seismically retrofit.

A team or representatives from the Medford School District and Audubon are meeting to discuss the next steps to save the chimney. These include a structural analysis, bids to determine the cost and the formation of a capital campaign to raise funds. We look forward to announcing details of the campaign soon.

2019 Vaux’s Swift Fall Migration – Bar Graph of Count at Hedrick Middle School

2019 Jackson County Vaux’s Swift Fall Migration – Swift Count at All Sites in the County

North American Vaux’s Swift Migration – Link to Vaux’s Happening Site

Meet the Vaux’s Swifts by Larry Schwitters.– A great article on Vaux’s Swifts on eBird.