London's Swifts Swift Conservation News

 

Alpine Swifts get reprieve at Camp Nou, Barcelona's football ground

 


Porfirio Solla, one of our contacts in Spain, tells us that the huge colony of superb giant Alpine Swifts that breed every year in Barcelona's Camp Nou football stadium has had a temporary reprieve.

Norman Foster's plans to rebuild the stadium are being reconsidered. This is hopefully good news for a spectacular, supremely charismatic, (and big!) bird.

Photos ©  Darz Mol & Matthias Schmidt, Freiburg

 
London Zoo's Swift nest boxes - Success again in 2010!

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Swifts have been using our London Zoo Bugs! House nest boxes for a good few years now.

They are back this year! Two nest boxes are occupied. We have CCTV inside them so we can see what's going on. On the left, a photo of a Swift emerging from a Schwegler nest pod. You can see the loudspeakers used to play calls to attract them. On the right, CCTV photos of the two occupied nest boxes, showing almost fully grown chicks.

Soon they will be off to Africa!

Photos © Darren Tossell / Dave Clarke ZSL  



Swifts get help from Boris and the GLA: You can help too!

Excellent news! Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, is joining our sister organisation London's Swifts and the RSPB in calling for Londoners to help count Swifts this summer.

UK wide, numbers of Swifts halved between 1994 and 2007 and one of the reasons is a lack of nest sites. London's Swifts has the support of the Mayor and the RSPB and is asking you to look out for Swifts in your neighbourhood and fill in a survey. This is vital if we are to know how many are left in London.

Swifts can be seen and heard circling overhead of an evening, usually in pairs or small groups, making their unique calls, a high-pitched "Screee-eee!". These fast moving, sickle-shaped birds arrive in London in the last days of April and should remain until August.

Boris Johnson says: "We can all play a part in boosting the chances of survival of these fabulous city birds simply by helping to garner information about them. So, when you are at home of an evening, look out for them sweeping past your window and take part in this survey. Let's make sure these fantastic aerial acrobats remain a common sight over the capital."

As part of this initiative, 20 Swift nestboxes will be installed on Metropolitan Police Service buildings in the coming months. The Mayor is working with the LDA, MPA, TfL and LFEPA to look at ways to provide more nestboxes on public buildings. In addition, the Mayor's draft London Plan and supplementary Planning Guidance for sustainable design and construction include policies promoting biodiversity and the incorporation of nesting and roosting structures into buildings.

RSPB Swift Nest Site SurveyClick on the logo to add your sightings to the RSPB's Swift Nest Site Survey




Neat and New!  Swift nestboxes for traditional house eaves

Roland Giddy has just converted his eaves to house 4 pairs of nesting Swifts - he used a scaffold to access the eaves, and boxed them in with integral nesting platforms (see right).
Above right - the result - a neat and sound home for the Swifts, fitting in nicely with the eaves detail. 

This sort of conversion to provide nest places for Swifts replaces others lost during re-roofing. It's low-tech, low-cost, easy, long lasting and effective. If eveyone did this when they renovated their house then Swifts wouldn't have lost half their UK population in the past 20 years.

If Swifts do move in, then Roland will convert the remaining eaves spaces to host more.

Photos © Roland Giddy

Bad News, Good News...

In Algeciras in Southern Spain a big problem for Swifts blew up recently. Over winter, a major colony for Pallid Swifts (a Red Data listed bird) in a dock-side building was blocked up to stop them nesting. It had been decided to install a helicopter landing pad nearby, and the birds were seen as a potential safety hazard. This despite evidence that birds very rarely cause problems to helicopters (which are so noisy and have such a strong downwash effect that they usually scare or physically drive birds off before they can make contact).

Following our protests, it have been told that full assessments were made before the nest blocking was undertaken, but it is unclear whether these identified the birds as threatened Pallid Swifts, or assumed they were feral pigeons, as appears likely from the recommendations that resulted. What was not realised was that the blocking action would make the air safety issue worse, as the Swifts would then circle the building all day long trying to get into their nests.

It is with great relief that we have been informed by the Spanish authorities that instructions have now been given to remove the blocking material from the nest sites.

Good news from Belfast in Northern Ireland, where a huge Swift colony in the beautiful 19th Century Crescent Arts Centre has been saved by Peter Cush of NIEA, with advice from Swift Conservation. Not only have all the old Swift nest places in the eaves been retained, but lots of new ones have been built into the new extension. Left - The Crescent Arts Centre: Photo © Edward Mayer

 

More good news! This time from Fulbourn in Cambridgeshire where Rob Mungovan, Ecology Officer for South Cambridgeshire District Council, has had success with the 75 internal Swift nest boxes that Swift Conservation designed, with KIER developer's designers, for installation in the new houses. These replaced the old homes which for many years had Swifts nesting in them, and provided the Swifts with new nest places to move to. Two nest boxes have been visited by Swifts already. Find out more; download Rob's article here  The Fulbourn Swifts project     

New Swift Colonies set up in M'dina, Malta

Following a cessation of the infamous Spring Shooting Season in Malta in 2009 (it has been reinstated this year) Swifts bred in M'dina. Mario Gauci discovered their nest, (below). 

A Swift flies over M'dina, Malta - not normally the best place to be a wild bird!

 
Photos © Mario V Gauci

Determined to assist Swifts, Mario started a nest place project - a series of Swift nestboxes fitted into old ventilators on a building facade. As you can see, the Swifts are already interested!

Good DIY Nest Boxes can work year after year

 

Photos © Kirsty Johns

 

When Kirsty Johns moved into her new home in the Brecon Beacons she found some odd looking boxes on the walls of the gable end. Good for her, she left them in place and was rewarded the next year with the sight of baby Swifts peering out of the entrance holes, getting their first glimpses of their new world!

Young Swifts spend a lot of time "sky gazing", watching the skies and their surroundings, getting ready for the big day when they launch themselves on their non-stop flight to Africa. With any luck they will return and breed, maybe in their second or third year.

Some Swift pairs make a practice nest the first year that they breed, and just sit in it, then breed for real, laying eggs and incubating them, the next year.

Your Swift records go to the National Biodiversity Network

The National Biodiversity Network has just taken on board the Swift records that you have been submitting to the RSPB.

NBN Gateway LinkClick on the logo (left) to visit the NBN. We are working closely with the RSPB to record all known Swift nesting sites throughout the UK. A big task, but it's starting to pay off after two seasons. We do it by asking everyone to spot Swifts, and submit their sightings to the RSPB, who then digitise the information and pass it to the NBN, which is aimed at local & national government. As Swifts nest almost exclusively in buildings, and as they are vanishing fast, and as the Town Planning system is a major key to their hoped-for survival, we are delighted this information is now easily available to Planners and local government staff when making decisions about the local built environment.

Camden Council builds for Swifts

 

Camden Council has just installed 10 nest boxes at their Regent's Park Estate to help reverse the national decline in Swift populations. They say

"
One of the reasons for the decline is modern construction practices which render once-accessible nesting sites under roof eaves inaccessible. The installation of Swift nesting boxes in high-rise buildings is seen as one way to counter-act this problem, providing suitable nesting sites for this fascinating bird. In Camden, local surveys have established the Regent’s Park area as a population stronghold. Using the opportunity we combined our high-rise insulation programme on the estate with the installation of these specially designed brick-boxes."
Camden tell us that more installations are planned throughout the Borough. This is splendid news and we hope this project will be a trend-setter throughout the UK and in the EU too. Click
here to visit their web site for more details.         

Photo © London Borough of Camden

We find more Swift Houses in Italy

Margaret Jarvis, who lives in Grottamare, Italy, spotted Swifts around a house by the railway tracks. Here is what she saw! Some brilliant person adapted this building for Swifts. We know of lots of Swift Towers in North East Italy, but this is the first such site we have seen in the Appennines. Are there more? Find out and tell us!

Photos © M Jarvis 


Help us Survey Swifts with the RSPB    The RSPB's Screaming Swift Survey Click here to take part!
Together with other Swift enthusiasts  we are working with the RSPB to organise a continuing survey of Swift nest places throughout the UK. If you are aware of Swifts in your area, then do please log their activity on the RSPB site. Sightings of low-level screaming flights are what is required; these are indicative of nesting nearby. Of course, if you can spot activity at the nest (best seen just before dusk) or hear the birds screaming from within the nest in response to others screaming outside, then you are doing very well indeed!

Swifts go "Amber" as UK population crashes
Nature conservation organisations in the UK last year put the Swift on the "Amber" list of birds at risk, in recognition of the population having almost halved over the past fifteen years. While Amber status alone will not provide a remedy for the decline, it will bring institutional and political attention to the Swift's plight, and will give added credibility to our campaign to ensure that existing colonies are no longer eliminated quite so casually by builders and developers. It may also help to persuade institutions to help Swifts by creating places for them in new building projects.

Swifts get new homes in Haddington, East Lothian


Swift nestboxes designed by Edward Mayer at London's Swifts go up on John Muir House at East Lothian Council, in Haddington. This is an initiative of Sustainable Haddington and East Lothian Council, helped with funding from the Konrad Zweig Trust.

Thanks go to Don Abbott who manufactured the boxes, and East Lothian Council's Property Department who put them up.

The Swift is an Urban Priority Species under East Lothian's Biodiversity Action Plan, and Sustainable Haddington and the Council are planning a summer survey to check numbers, which have fallen drastically in Scotland in recent years. 

Photos © Abbie Marland


More information from Abbie Marland at
Sustainable Haddington
 


Swifts get more new homes in Northern Ireland
The new Municipal Library in Antrim built this year has been fitted with Ibstock Swift Bricks - the result of excellent co-operation between the Librarian, Mark Smyth of the Northern Ireland Swift group and local enthusiasts. The generous and handsome installation ensures the survival of a good sized colony of Swifts, a bird that previously flourished in the area, due in part to the presence of the Lough Neagh Fly, an insect that breeds copiously in fresh water.

On the left is the wall with the Ibstock Swift nest Bricks inserted in the upper areas, enlarged and more visible in the photo on the right.

Ibstock Swift Bricks are made in the UK from recycled materials and clay, in avariety of sizes and colours, and can be integrated with several brick sizes.

You can buy them via our "Shopping!" page.

Photos © Mark Smyth 

Swift enthusiasts Norman Watterson and Adrian McElhone have been working on a new Swift nestbox scheme at a modern industrial building on the shores of fly-rich Lough Neagh, in Northern Ireland. Swifts gather from miles around to feast on the Lough Neagh flies. The new one-piece nest box has 12 separate compartments for the Swifts; their food supply can be seen waiting for them!

On the left you can see the 12 place nest box before it was fitted to the roof edge of the Ballyronan Marina facilities building (right).

The myriad black specks visible are the famous Lough Neagh flies, which hatch from the waters to provide food for thousands of Swifts.

It is believed that Swifts fly in from as far away as Scotland to feed on this amazing resource.

Photos © Mark Smyth

 


Ideal Homes for Swifts in East Dulwich, London

 

This Victorian terraced house has been ingeniously renovated to provide excellent accommodation for Swifts. The arrow points to one of eleven Swift nest access holes, built in to the under-eaves brickwork. This is the creation of George Mavrias, who as you can imagine, is keen on keeping Swifts flying over his home! It goes to show that where there's a will there's a way, and Swift nestplaces can be created and sustained in nearly all types of buildings.

Photos © George Mavrias

 
New Swift & Alpine Swifts Project in Barcelona

At the request of SEO Birdlife Catalunya, we have been working with Alpine Swift experts in Germany, Italy and Switzerland, to provide help and advice to our Catalan colleagues. Their idea was to use this new bridge being built over the Llobregat River near Barcelona as a site for Swift and Alpine Swift nestplaces. Together we assessed the opportunities and have come up with plans and guidance on how to achieve this aim. The site is ideal; we have seen just this sort of bridge used as a nesting place by Crag Martins in Sicily, in a similar semi-rural environment and we think Swifts should like it too. If you are in Barcelona do not miss the Delta del Llobregat Reserve. It is adjacent to the the airport and is well worth a visit!      Photo © SEO Birdlife Catalunya

 

 
 

111 New Cavendish Street, London W1, gets Swift, Bird & Bat Boxes

Bat "tubes" & a bird box inset into the wall

Triple Swift nest box inside the plant room

Plant room exterior with 6 bat tubes visible

Swift, Pipistrelle Bat and Black Redstart / Wagtail nest places have been installed in the walls of roof top plant rooms high above Oxford Circus in Central London! The contractors, Faithdean plc, required a multi-species solution to improve biodiversity at this site to meet a Planning Requirement. Swift Conservation was asked to advise, and as a result five key urban species, all know to be present in or near the area, were selected for assistance; Swift, Pipistrelle Bat, Grey and Pied Wagtails, and Black Redstarts. By providing shelter plus food resources on an adjacent "green roof" it is hoped these species will move in and thrive.   Photos © Edward Mayer - Swift Conservation


Brighton gets Swift Nest Places & Green Walls too!
   
New homes for Swifts! The Jury's Inn project built by the Macaleer & Rushe Group, under the planning auspices of Brighton and Hove City Council, is just outside Brighton's railway station. It is fitted with nest boxes for Swifts, a prime urban species at high risk of local extinction, that with luck will find them and move in. The facilities also include "Green Wall" vertical habitats, good for beneficial insects like bees.   Photos © Ben Kimpton The Ecology Consultancy 


Swift Pole Colonies - See our new feature

We know Swifts will exploit motorway lights for nestplaces, if they can gain access to make their nests inside. Dick Newell of the Ely Swifts Group is working on several schemes for Swift Colonies on poles and towers. Dick's idea, inspired by similar German House Martin pole-mounted colonies, is to produce a simple all-in-one colony ideal for nature reserves and industrial sites.

If you would like more information or to sponsor the erection of such a colony, which can fit onto the poles used for mobile phone masts, as well as those used for goods yard, industrial estate and motorway lights, or even on tall chimneys, see our new feature - click on the Swift!   
Swift Pole & Tower Colonies   Drawing © Dick Newell


The very cold Spring this year means Swifts starve on migration

This photograph of a Swift sheltering on a windowsill high above the French town of Grenoble was taken by Jake Campbell on May 28th 2007, when the weather across parts of Europe was very cold and wet. The worst UK summer for 50 years meant that Swifts struggled to raise their chicks, as their flying insect food supply failed and they had to travel extra distances to where food might be available. Swifts raised only half the number of chicks in 2007 that they did in 2006, but in 2008 they seemed to have done rather better, though there were fewer adults breeding here. The main cause of Swifts' death is not predation nor disease nor accidents, but in fact starvation.  2009 was to prove a poor year for Swifts, most pairs only raised one chick. So far 2010 has been worrying; an extremely cold Spring delayed nesting and egg-laying, and deprived Swifts of essential food. There were many reports of starving Swifts being found grounded in Southern Spain, one place where they should have been able to feed up easily on migration, but for the very cold weather. Photo © Jake Campbell

Swifts get new homes in Guernsey
Local Swift enthusiast Vic Froome masterminded a project to convert a wartime observation tower, built on top of an historic mill, into a multi-storey residence for Swifts. Using DIY nestboxes, coated with weatherproof fibre glass, he and his friends have created a superb site for future generations of Swifts to breed in.


The fibreglass coated timber multiple nest boxes are fitted to the onservation slits in the wartime look out, high above the countryside at the Vale Mill, a great place for Swifts as you can see!


The finished fitted box, one of several installed at this site, together with artificial House Martin nests.                       

Photos © Vic Froome

Swift nest boxes go up at Lambeth Hospital 


Photos © Iain Boulton (London Borough of Lambeth) & (middle) © Steven Robinson (SLaM)



Here you can see Swift nest places being fitted to the walls of the ward blocks at the Lambeth Hospital and (middle) the result. Fitting them is easy with the right equipment. 


Steven Robinson, a Community Psychiatric Nurse at the Lambeth Hospital (part of the South London & Maudsley NHS Trust) was keen to see Swifts breeding there. With the help of Swift Conservation (who surveyed the site for nest box positions) the Hospital's estates management staff and Lambeth Council's Parks & Green Spaces Team (who funded the project) he achieved his aim; ten new Schwegler Swift nest boxes installed ready for use in 2008.

Ibstock Brick introduces a new UK-made Swift Brick


UK Brick Manufacturers Ibstock have introduced a Swift Brick made from sustainable and recycled materials. Designed with the help of Graham Roberts, well-known for his Swift conservation work with the Sussex Ornithological Society and West Sussex County Council, and available in three clay colours, it is ideal for use in both new-build and major restoration projects, as shown above in Antrim. Photo © Ibstock Brick

Shopping!Click here to find out more about this Swift Brick and how to obtain it.          



Success for Swift Attraction Calls CD!
Brian Cahalane of Northern Ireland set up his own Swift colony
He used a Swift Calls CD to attract the birds to a previously unused nesting area.
This is how he did it - you can do it too!   
Photo © Edward Mayer

"It is usually relatively easy to attract Swifts to new nesting boxes by using a calls CD. Play the CD on a CD player linked to a separate amplifier, use cheap speaker cable and as many speakers as possible, each one right beside a nest box. I often have twelve speakers going at once. I bought the cheapest and smallest speakers you can buy. Play from late April onwards, continuously from dawn to darkness as loud as you dare, and you will attract Swifts. But it may take two seasons for them to nest. I have been able to attract Swifts from a half mile away and more. I conducted a simple experiment using my wife and son and mobile phones. One was positioned at the house, the other a quarter of a mile away, and myself a half mile away. It's almost a straight line from my house to the centre of the village. A phone call from myself and the CD was switched on at my house at full volume, I could hear it in the village. Swifts began to move towards my house and I could observe them through my binoculars, when they passed my wife she rang me, and when they arrived at the house my son rang me. I have 24 potential nesting sites and often have as many as ten speakers playing at once, positioned at ten boxes. I now have a colony established!"


Swift Conservation supplies a Swift Calls CD using recordings from Ulrich Tigges' Berlin Swift Colony. To order click on the Swift button below.

Swift Calls CD's Order a Swift Calls CD - click on the Swift!

How to use Swift Calls Click on the Swift to learn how to use the Swift Calls CD

Contact Swift Conservation For further information contact Swift Conservation

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Thank you for your interest - Please help Swifts!