Irving Middle School, right here in Lincoln, Nebraska, was the recipient of a beautiful gift. The gift of time. The gift of expertise. The gift of passion.
From approximately April to October, Irving's chimney is the roosting spot for an estimated 1,200 to 1,500 Chimney Swift birds.
Enter Dr. Susette Taylor, former Irving principal, Michael Forsberg, conservation photographer and Irving neighbor, and Dr. Mary Bomberger Brown, ornithologist and former Irving student. The Irving Chimney Swift Club gets its start.
Mary made the club. Let me say that again; Mary made the club! She seldom missed a meeting and was always ready and able to answer the questions of the "clubbers," as Mary liked to call the club participants. Between monthly club meetings they would often ask me questions about birds. I would find myself kindly responding with: "That's a Mary question. Save it for club."
After a clubber would tell her about a bird they had seen in their backyard, Mary could tell a student the name of the bird they were describing. She would pull up a picture online, and the student would show great enthusiasm, as they agreed that the bird pictured, was indeed, the bird that they had seen. How she could know, from an often vague description, would amaze both me and the student.
The clubbers knew they mattered to Mary. She would remember from month to month what they had shown interest in, both as a part of club and outside of club. She gave each person her undivided attention when answering their questions. She had a way of keeping her focus on the inquirer, even when there were distractions, as there often are when working with adolescents. She inspired students, challenged students, informed students, and cared about students. Mary touched lives.
Mary said it was a challenge for her while attending Irving Junior High because she struggled to find a place to fit in. She loved that Chimney Swift Club was a place where anyone could belong. She made sure that the bright, the deep thinkers, the quiet, the outgoing, the quirky, the difficult, the spunky, the unique all felt welcome and included. In fact, after clubbers headed off to high school, several returned to visit this club.
We hosted several evening events where clubbers and their families were invited to observe the Chimney Swifts as they re-entered the Irving Chimney. Such a spectacular display. Your mouth would drop open in amazement and then close quickly when you recalled what you were watching and what birds often did. If you haven't experienced the Chimney Swift Birds exiting the Irving Chimney at sunrise or entering the chimney at sunset, you should. Mary might just be there with you.
Mary shared her time, her expertise, and her passion. What a gift Dr. Mary Bomberger Brown was to the Irving Chimney Swift Clubbers and to me. She will live on through the lives she so beautifully touched in her own Mary kind of way.
By Deanna Hughes, recently retired Irving sixth grade science and social studies teacher and Chimney Swift Club sponsor