Swift Migration at the McNear Brickyard

For some people, looking at birds and wildlife means going where all the life is wild – to the undeveloped areas where natural plant communities are intact and human presence is at a minimum. But while observing birds within the full web of an age-old ecosystem is certainly a highly satisfying experience, limiting oneself to only pristine natural habitats goes against the general creed of the backyard birdwatcher and local naturalist in the modern world: appreciate nature wherever you find it, the more convenient the better. To do otherwise risks missing out on the myriad ways in which birds and wildlife continue to exist within our admittedly much-changed landscape. One stunning example of this is the annual fall migration of Vaux’s swifts.

Swifts are superficially similar to our familiar summer swallows in their habit of rapid, unceasing flight as they catch insects on the wing. With a streamlined boomerang or crescent shape (the aerodynamic compression of their body has led them to be likened to a “cigar with wings”), swifts spend essentially their whole day in flight. Throughout the year, we can see larger white-throated swifts scattered throughout our region in modest numbers, but September and October are the great month’s for the migration of the smaller, plainer Vaux’s swifts. This species, pronounced “Vawks,” historically roosted communally in large, hollow trees. With the limited availability of such trees along this stretch of their southward migration route from the Pacific Northwest to Central America, they now take advantage of similar manmade structures such as the unused chimneys at San Rafael’s McNear Brickyard off Point San Pedro Road.

Each year, September and early October visitors to the brickyard can watch the migrating swifts pour into the smokestacks at sunset. The numbers can vary from night to night: sometimes you will see a few hundred, other nights you can see many thousands. Not uncommonly, raptors such as kestrels or peregrine falcons are drawn to the crowd of birds. Some other birds are also visible along the adjacent bayshore, including some rocky shoreline birds that are uncommon up here in Novato such as black oystercatchers or spotted sandpipers. But the main attraction is undoubtedly the swirling vortex of swifts.

The first swifts appear in mid to late August. At the end of the month and in the first week or so of September, you might see a few thousand. From mid-month through the end of September, you have a good chance of seeing 5,000–15,000 birds, with the top day sometimes exceeding 20,000. The first week or so of October will then see numbers gradually declining back to a few thousand and then petering out around mid-October. Updates on the current season’s counts are posted periodically on eBird.org under the McNear Brickyard hotspot. That being said, numbers can vary significantly from night to night – you’ll just have to go out there yourself to see how many swifts you find!

Getting There: The brickyard is 4 miles along Point San Pedro Rd. in San Rafael, north of the Central San Rafael exit off of Hwy 101. You can use the address of 1 McNear Brickyard Rd. in San Rafael for directions. Limited parking is available along the roadside outside of the entrance gate. You may walk a short distance inside the gate to view the swifts.

Rules & Access:  Plan on arriving before sunset and please be respectful of the property owners. Commercial activity is ongoing during the day, but the McNear family has graciously welcomed birders in the evening. 

Birds: See recent and past sightings on eBird. 

Header image: swifts at McNear’s by Aaron Maizlish