Birds of a feather, flock together 🪶

Vaux’s swift watch in Northwest Portland

Every September, thousands of migrating birds roost in Chapman Elementary School’s chimney before flying to Central America and Venezuela

As many as 7,000 swifts roost in the chimney. | Gif via PDXtoday

As the sun disappears behind the hills in Northwest Portland, hundreds of people lay sprawled upon blankets beside Chapman Elementary School.

Everyone’s attention is split between the kids sledding down the well-worn, grassy slopes on cardboard — and the sky.

They’re all waiting to see the Vaux’s swifts — little birds that look like cigars with wings — which return to sleep in the school’s chimney every September. But before they rest, they swoop and dive, munching on flying insects while putting on a show with their aerial acrobatics.

This particular group is thought to be the largest roost of the species in the world. They’ve been making the same layover on their migration route to Central America and Venezuela since the late 1980s.

A crowd of people sit on the grass above a hill, which kids are sliding down on pieces of cardboard — Swift watch is a beloved Portland tradition.

Volunteers with Portland Audubon are on-site every weeknight to count the swifts and share interesting facts — like how Vaux’s swifts don’t perch, but instead cling to vertical surfaces like trees or brick structures.

Peregrine falcons and other birds of prey often make an appearance too, licking their beak for what’s an almost guaranteed meal.

The anticipation builds with each speculative swirl of swifts, until by some unknown signal, they begin to funnel down the hole by the thousands, eliciting cheers from their spectators.

If you’d like to see the feathered phenomenon for yourself, there are several things you should know:

Arrive about an hour before sunset and bring something comfy to sit on.
Parking in the area is extremely limited around this time, so be prepared to walk or take public transportation on TriMet buses #77 or #15 to Northwest Vaughn Street + 26th Avenue. Bike racks are also available.
Dogs are permitted on a leash.
If you pack it in, pack it out.

Act fast and share this article with a friend you want to bring along to the swift watch.

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Today

Time-Based Art Festival | Thurs., Sept. 8-Sun., Sept. 18 | Times vary | Locations vary | $75+ | The clock is ticking to see these incredible boundary-pushing performances + works of visual art. ⏰

Friday

Johnstober Fest | Fri., Sept. 9-Sat., Sept. 10 | 11 a.m.-8 p.m. | John’s Marketplace, 3535 SW Multnomah Blvd. + 3560 SE Powell Blvd. | $30+ | Celebrate at both locations with international classics, festbiers, Zenner’s Oktoberfest beer brats, and pretzels. 🥨
Rose City Comic Con | Fri., Sept. 9-Sun., Sept. 11 | Times vary | Oregon Convention Center | $45+ | Get ready to geek out at Portland’s premier pop culture party.

Saturday

Keller Fountain Workout | Sat., Sept. 10 | 10 a.m. | Southwest 3rd Avenue + Clay Street | Free | Bring a yoga mat, sneakers, and your water bottle to this class hosted by Fuel Yoga Workouts.
Portland Indigenous Marketplace | Sat., Sept. 10-Sun., Sept. 11 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | 432 NE 74th Ave. | Free | Support local businesses and makers while learning about their history, culture, and heritage.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

81º | Sunny | 6% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 6:40 a.m.
Set: 7:34 p.m.

Cause

Today, The Standard’s 2022 Volunteer Expo returns to Pioneer Courthouse Square (11 a.m.-2 p.m.), bringing together 100+ nonprofits and thousands of visitors interested in positively impacting their communities. Service and donation opportunities are available with organizations involved in the arts, culture, humanities, the environment, animal welfare, health, human services, and more. 🤝
After moving from Portland to Ukraine over the summer, Corey Watson started Pizza for Ukraine to help feed and raise money for Ukrainians displaced by war. The former software engineer learned the art of Neapolitan pizza-making at its source, and had planned to move to London, but instead pivoted to humanitarian work. 🍕 (KGW)

Plan Ahead

After a two-year hiatus, the Portland Dragon Boat Festival roars back to the Willamette River this Sat., Sept. 10-Sun., Sept. 11. Teams from all over the world will paddle colorful, Taiwan-style watercraft along the southern end of Tom McCall Waterfront Park. 🐉

Pets

Say... who’s a good boy? On Sat., Sept. 17 from 1-4 p.m., Barrio (inside Portland Mercado) will host a free dog portraits session with photographer Joshua James Huff. Attendees will receive the pic of their pooch via email after the event. 🐶

Transit

It appears the dream of a commuter ferry in Portland has officially sunk. Backers of the proposed Frog Ferry missed a key deadline to apply for federal funding this week, leaving it without cash — and support from city leaders. ⛴️ (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Concert

Want to end summer on a “Smooth” note? PDX Pipeline is giving away tickets for An Evening w/ Soul Sacrifice, the PNW’s No. 1 Santana tribute band, on Sat., Sept. 17 at Mission Theater. Just subscribe to their newsletter and comment on the post; winners will be emailed Mon., Sept. 12. 🎸

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Quite a night at Quaintrelle 🍹

Quite a night at Quaintrelle

Floral wallpaper and live plants give the bar a vivacious feeling. | Photo via Aubrie LeGault

Throw on your best hibiscus-patterned shirt and dust off the ol’ puka shell necklace, because you’re invited to a tropical-themed backyard soiree. Quaintrelle (2032 SE Clinton St.) will host its sixth anniversary in style on Thurs., Sept. 15 from 5-8 p.m. on its lush garden patio with a DJ, photo booth, and delicious food + beverages.

Chef Ryley Eckersley will craft a canapé menu including shucked oysters, tropical shrimp cocktail, grilled fish, grilled pineapple, shrimp skewers, and ceviche using local ingredients. You can also expect inventive tropical cocktails from bar manager Camille Cavan.

Tickets are $59 per person.

THE WRAP

Today’s edition was written by Ben.

Editor’s pick: Over the weekend, I visited the Nob Hill Food Carts for the first time and had a delicious jianbing from Bing Mi.

The Chinese savory crepe with scrambled egg, chili bean sauce, green onion, cilantro, and shredded preserved mustard reminded me of my travels in Taiwan.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Cambrie Juarez, Ben McBee, Trevor Peters, Britt Thorson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea, Eva Limmer | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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