Swifts need our help

swifts need our help! · 19-05-2014 7:19pm

Those who are waiting for CDs of calls. I must apologise. They haven't been sent

swifts need our help! · 19-05-2014 11:28pm

just in from Africa this evening
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YgtERQ3754

swifts need our help! · 21-05-2014 10:54pm

for some reason youtube links aren't working

angeldaisy · 23-05-2014 5:13pm

Just watching a group of swifts feeding in the fields at the bottom of the garden. Never seen them nest though, although we are surrounded by farm buildings so maybe they nest there?

swifts need our help! · 23-05-2014 11:05pm

definitely swifts and not swallows? Ive never seen swifts feeding low over fields

angeldaisy · 24-05-2014 7:11am

swifts need our help! wrote: »

definitely swifts and not swallows? Ive never seen swifts feeding low over fields

Yep, I was surprised too, we see loads of swallows here normally. I had to Google pictures to check what they were. Not noticed them doing that before either.

amurphysboy · 26-05-2014 1:53pm

any additional help ? have made and installed a swift nest box but no acctivity- how long before i should see nest box being used?

swifts need our help! · 26-05-2014 4:12pm

we recommend at least two nest boxes. I would say three. This is because swifts can and do fight over nest boxes. A double or triple cavity box is as easy to make as a single.

Are you playing the calls? http://saveourswifts.co.uk/attractswifts.htm If there are swifts in your area the non breeders/bangers will come to investigate. There seem to be non breeders in already but they don't usually arrive until early June.
A guy in Portadown who has only just started had interest in his boxes, 5 or may 6, yesterday and today

amurphysboy wrote: »

any additional help ? have made and installed a swift nest box but no acctivity- how long before i should see nest box being used?

swifts need our help! · 30-05-2014 9:18am

May 30th 05.45am a swift lays an egg - if you cant wait it appears at 1 min 25 secs

http://youtu.be/-rQE76MjGNQ

Chisler2 · 01-06-2014 4:02pm

I spoke with local birders at the Feile at Turlough last weekend. They were doubtful that swifts would nest outside urban settings. Having watched clouds of bats feeding over Melbourne Australia evenings, attracted by the swarms of insects which in turn were attracted by the street-lights along the Yarra, I wondered what you thought?

That kind of concentration of insect food combined with high-enough nesting-sites are not available in rural settings.

swifts need our help! · 01-06-2014 5:01pm

Chisler2 wrote: »

I spoke with local birders at the Feile at Turlough last weekend. They were doubtful that swifts would nest outside urban settings. Having watched clouds of bats feeding over Melbourne Australia evenings, attracted by the swarms of insects which in turn were attracted by the street-lights along the Yarra, I wondered what you thought? That kind of concentration of insect food combined with high-enough nesting-sites are not available in rural settings.

Those guys don't know their swifts! Swifts nest in urban settings because that's where they have learnt to find nest sites. Prior to that they were tree hole and cliff nesters. There are still cliff nesting colonies in Ireland with two in Fermanagh and one on the north coast of County Antrim

Here's a pair that nest over 5km from the nearest excellent food source Lough Neagh. 100s can be seen feeding over lakes head in to the wind.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/H+Clements/@54.7197587,-6.1691094,17132m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x4861ac1160e3ffb7:0x2338af5a7d04cd0f

Many swifts can bee seen flying cross country to get food. Every time I go over the hills in to Belfast I see feeding parties of swifts

Swifts are now the fastest European bird in level flight 111.6kmh / 69.3mph which means a wee trip to find food is nothing to them.

The travel from west Africa to the UK is a wee jolly for them. A swift did the journey in 5.5 days!!

Chisler2 · 02-06-2014 2:57pm

swifts need our help! wrote: »

Those guys don't know their swifts! Swifts nest in urban settings because that's where they have learnt to find nest sites. Prior to that they were tree hole and cliff nesters. There are still cliff nesting colonies in Ireland with two in Fermanagh and one on the north coast of County Antrim

Here's a pair that nest over 5km from the nearest excellent food source Lough Neagh. 100s can be seen feeding over lakes head in to the wind.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/H+Clements/@54.7197587,-6.1691094,17132m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x4861ac1160e3ffb7:0x2338af5a7d04cd0f

Many swifts can bee seen flying cross country to get food. Every time I go over the hills in to Belfast I see feeding parties of swifts

Swifts are now the fastest European bird in level flight 111.6kmh / 69.3mph which means a wee trip to find food is nothing to them.

The travel from west Africa to the UK is a wee jolly for them. A swift did the journey in 5.5 days!!

AMAZING figures, amazing little birds! Thank you so much. I was feeling discouraged and would settle for the ubiquitous house-martins which seem to be thriving but will get swift boxes up.

swifts need our help! · 13-06-2014 7:55pm

brief fight over a nest box - only 16 to choose from!

swifts need our help! · 18-06-2014 8:41am

Some people have fantastic luck when attracting swifts.

Last April John Young in Brookborough, County Fermanagh, N Ireland put up three Schwegler, German made, swift boxes. Within weeks he had two pairs. One pair bred and the other pair were probably too young.

This year two pairs returned and three singles soon arrived. As of last night all singles have got mates. Three pairs are on eggs.

Five pairs is amazing to achieve so quickly.

He now has three pairs of house martins building under the swift boxes.

Capercaille · 18-06-2014 11:54am

swifts need our help! wrote: »

Some people have fantastic luck when attracting swifts.

Last April John Young in Brookborough, County Fermanagh, N Ireland put up three Schwegler, German made, swift boxes. Within weeks he had two pairs. One pair bred and the other pair were probably too young.

This year two pairs returned and three singles soon arrived. As of last night all singles have got mates. Three pairs are on eggs.

Five pairs is amazing to achieve so quickly.

He now has three pairs of house martins building under the swift boxes.

Great work!!!!!

swifts need our help! · 20-06-2014 10:18am

Two 2-day old swift chicks being fed this morning

swifts need our help! · 22-06-2014 12:55pm

Some swift videos from this morning

swifts need our help! · 22-06-2014 12:59pm

3 day old chick getting fed

bangers then a nervous swift comes in for a look

my own springwatch

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-06-2014 1:21pm

We usually have quite a few swifts around the garden and surrounding bog/fields but not one this year so far. Went to mass in town this morning and 9 were flying over the carpark and adjoining school. I take it they are going for a city break this summer.

swifts need our help! · 22-06-2014 1:25pm

flying low would indicate they are nesting in the school

Have you ever thought of putting up nest boxes on your house?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 22-06-2014 2:12pm

swifts need our help! wrote: »

flying low would indicate they are nesting in the school

Have you ever thought of putting up nest boxes on your house?

If I put up any more houses for birds, mammals or insects around my house I'm going to have to ask them for a contribution towards the property tax!

swifts need our help! · 22-06-2014 2:14pm

Nothing nests for as long as swifts! Guaranteed three months of activity dawn to dusk

swifts need our help! · 22-06-2014 2:17pm

editing the post to give more times

swifts need our help! · 22-06-2014 6:13pm

sunrise 04.48
feeding rates under eave box 9 - 3 11-day old chicks
1st leaves at 04.41 2nd 04.53. 05.19, 05.22, one broods, 06.12, one broods other leaves 06.21, other leaves 06.36, 06.54, 07.10, one broods leaves at 07.43, 07.55, 08.20 broods until 08.42, 09.03 stays to brood, 09.48 broods, 10.42 both leave 10.48, 11.26 broods, 11.39, 12.19, 12.26, 13.07 broods, 13.25, 14.34 broods, 14.45 broods until 15.01, 15.37 broods until 15.54, 16.07 broods until 16.18, 16.53 broods until 17.49, 17.51 broods until 18.06,
feeding rates under eave box 1 back - 2 3-day old chicks. One adult always stays
1st leaves at 04.44. 05.22, 05.57, 06.38, 07.13, one broods other leaves at 07.22, 07.57, 08.43, 09.26, 10.04, 10.30 one broods other leaves at 10.40, 11.20, 11.53, 12.30, 13.04, 14.40, 15.45, 16.48, 17.47,

mayo.mick · 01-07-2014 6:47pm

Just to let you know, our local national school Green schools committee with the help of Swinford Tidy Towns and under the guidance Swift conservationats in GMIT Castlebar, have installed 2 swift box's. There is 1 camera in one of the nests in each box, and is connected to a TV in the classroom. We hope to have live streaming set up on the tidy towns site for next year.

The box's were installed 2 weeks ago and calling sounds are playing since. I will be setting up a page for the green schools swift project when I get some more photos. I'll update here again (following thread).

I was watching them last night (school 20M behind me) and there were about 20/24 flying around. Tried to get a few shots of them this morning but I didn't have the 300mm lens on, only the 50mm, couldn't focus on them right. Them buggers are fast!!

Capercaille · 01-07-2014 7:14pm

Great work, hopefully you are rewarded with swifts!

swifts need our help! · 01-07-2014 7:56pm

Well done to all involved

Non breeders are here in large numbers now so there should be some interest in the boxes.

As school is now finished for the summer \I would recommend playing the calls all day, 05.30 to dark, until the end of July when most swifts will be gone

mayo.mick · 01-07-2014 8:19pm

swifts need our help! wrote: »

Well done to all involved

Non breeders are here in large numbers now so there should be some interest in the boxes.

As school is now finished for the summer \I would recommend playing the calls all day, 05.30 to dark, until the end of July when most swifts will be gone

Playing 24/7 at the moment. Being left in place until August I think. The guys from GMIT are really passionate about the project!

CYHSN · 19-03-2015 8:58pm

Saw 2 starlings today squeezing out of one of the swift boxes I roosting tonight, and straw/twigs in some of the other boxes too, going to be a noisy couple of months

swifts need our help! · 20-03-2015 12:38am

Oh no. Not good. Did swifts use them last year? Sounds like the entrance hole is too big. We now know swifts can access holes 29mm high and 55mm wide.

I would cover the holes with duct tape until the swifts are back and put a starling baffle inside the nest box.

Is the entrance hole in the front or in the floor?

mayo.mick · 20-03-2015 12:57am

mayo.mick wrote: »

Just to let you know, our local national school Green schools committee with the help of Swinford Tidy Towns and under the guidance Swift conservationats in GMIT Castlebar, have installed 2 swift box's. There is 1 camera in one of the nests in each box, and is connected to a TV in the classroom. We hope to have live streaming set up on the tidy towns site for next year.

The box's were installed 2 weeks ago and calling sounds are playing since. I will be setting up a page for the green schools swift project when I get some more photos. I'll update here again (following thread).

I was watching them last night (school 20M behind me) and there were about 20/24 flying around. Tried to get a few shots of them this morning but I didn't have the 300mm lens on, only the 50mm, couldn't focus on them right. Them buggers are fast!!

Hard to believe how fast time has gone! Nearly time for the Swifts to appear.

Looking for some advice guys. We need to go about setting up the live streaming form the cameras installed in each nesting box. Cables are in as far as the tv (which was temporary) There is trunking there with data point connections which go back to the (server I think) in main office. We need to link up to some service provider I'm thinking? All I know how to do is embed youtube and vimeo videos but have never done live streaming.

CYHSN · 20-03-2015 3:29pm

swifts need our help! wrote: »

Oh no. Not good. Did swifts use them last year? Sounds like the entrance hole is too big. We now know swifts can access holes 29mm high and 55mm wide.

I would cover the holes with duct tape until the swifts are back and put a starling baffle inside the nest box.

Is the entrance hole in the front or in the floor?

No we had no swifts enter them, but they flew very close to them and possible made contact on the outside of the boxes last year when playing the lure.

We usedhere is a photo.

I hate evicting them out now, but what size would you recommend the baffle to be?

swifts need our help! · 20-03-2015 4:37pm

I remember that photo.

The way forward is to cover the holes with duct tape, original is best, until April 27th. Starlings will have moved on by then and have their own chicks. My breeders returned last year between 2nd and 7th of May for the first birds and 4th to 17th for the second of the pair.

As you saw birds last year there is a good chance you will get breeders this year. Keep playing the calls from the first week of May.

I now put the entrance hole in the bottom edge of the front which makes cutting it out easier and easier to put in a starling baffle

swifts need our help! · 20-03-2015 7:33pm

I forgot to mention that swifts and starlings are enemies. Starlings will catch and ground swifts

CYHSN · 21-03-2015 1:10am

Starling is roosting again but in a different box tonight, anyway thanks for the advice I'll be giving them a clean out tomorrow and sealing them up until the end of April, its a shame to be getting rid of them but here's hoping that some swifts like them just as much.

swifts need our help! · 21-03-2015 3:11pm

Its the best you can do.

cameramonkey · 04-05-2016 10:41pm

Swifts arrived in Harolds Cross Dublin last week.

ThunderCat · 05-05-2016 10:44am

I saw a swift in Balbriggan last night too. Great to see them again.

mayo.mick · 05-05-2016 5:00pm

Our Swifts are back again today in Swinford, Mayo. Seems to be bigger numbers this year (hopefully). Will hope to get some video of them (only found out there were 3 nests in a tower beside me last year) hopefully more residents move in!

mayo.mick · 05-05-2016 6:35pm

Few minutes of video I got earlier. Hope to get set up right for better shots

Mech1 · 04-05-2017 2:46pm

A Swift just flew into my garage in Monkstown, Dublin, circled inside of the garage 4 times while chirping loudly and just as promptly left!

swifts need our help! · 04-05-2017 3:54pm

That'll be a swallow looking for a nest site. I want them in my shed but they never look

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 04-05-2017 4:47pm

I'd put money on them being Swallows.

mayo.mick · 05-05-2017 12:27am

Here's some video from when they arrived near me in 2015. No sign of them yet,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRti9Q9rJfo

DellyBelly · 05-05-2017 2:21pm

Mech1 wrote: »

A Swift just flew into my garage in Monkstown, Dublin, circled inside of the garage 4 times while chirping loudly and just as promptly left!

As others said that was probably a swallow

Del.Monte · 05-05-2017 9:33pm

First Swifts of the season in Enniscorthy tonight - lots of them and already at nest sites. I also have a pair of wall nesting (!) Sand Martins - more of which soon.

mayo.mick · 05-05-2017 10:33pm

Saw our Swifts back here in Swinford This morning. Was really chuffed, thinking I was the first to see them. One of our tidy towners heard ans seen them last night here!

Its amazing, the last 2 years they have arrived here, bang on the 4th or 5th of May :cool:

Project we're doing with the local green schools. Hopefully we get new residents this year, we have camera's set up in the nest box's too.

https://swinfordtidytowns.com/project/save-our-swifts-project/

Del.Monte · 05-05-2017 11:38pm

I tried to persuade the local library here to go for a nestbox scheme a couple of years ago but they didn't seem interested. At least there's plenty of nest sites under the eaves of many houses throughout the town.

mayo.mick · 05-05-2017 11:43pm

Del.Monte wrote: »

I tried to persuade the local library here to go for a nestbox scheme a couple of years ago but they didn't seem interested. At least there's plenty of nest sites under the eaves of many houses throughout the town.

The kids did a fundraiser to buy the nest box's for their school (with a little help from the tidy towns). That's where i first learned about swifts and their plight. I'm really amazed with them, as is everyone who learns more about them. I really hope some move into our nest box's this year so we can keep an eye on them through the cameras.

Swifts need our help

Comments