Swifts need our help

swifts need our help! · 08-05-2011 10:17am

the fight continued for two and a half hours by which time I went to bed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCKldNx0VVc

6.30am and there is a dirty victor in the nest

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Y0D3l1lI4

swifts need our help! · 08-05-2011 3:02pm

two more arrivals today 30 minutes apart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Mict-OsuI8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf8vPmE200A

Traonach · 08-05-2011 4:28pm

swifts need our help! wrote: »

Traonach, swift boxes, always at least 2, need to be 3m or more above the ground and have a clear way in and out ie no trees or shrubs or power lines.

My colony is an exception because of the sloping roof below. The gable colony is 2.5m up the wall and the under eave colony is 1.5m

Yes we have the design of the swift tower. The cost in N Ireland is under £2500 which includes making of it, cement base, delivery and putting it up. I can check delivery costs for you.

Sorry Mark for delay in reply. That would be a bit too expensive for me unfortunately. However I'm after buying a triple cavity nest box (in the link) and a tape lure. Hopefully they will deliver next week.
http://www.jacobijayne.co.uk/nest-boxes-by-species/swift/no-17-swift-box/
Question:
Would I be able to place the nest box on a wooden poll (4m tall)? Would the nest box cook in the sun?

Otherwise I will put it on the North facing side of my house. The nest box would be 3m above the ground. I plan to put it above my house martin nest boxes . Would I need to put a shelf over the nest box to protect against the sun?

swifts need our help! · 08-05-2011 4:59pm

Traonach

The north side should be OK. The triple box is a great box. There is no need for a sun shield but because the box is in the open I would paint it with something that will repel water.

Send me a private message and I'll put a CD in the post

You'll enjoy the swifts

Birdnuts · 08-05-2011 7:35pm

I have also noticed a steady decline in this species since the 80's:( - could it be the same reason House Martins too have declined??

PS: On the other hand Sand Martins appear to have increased substantial during the same period!!

swifts need our help! · 08-05-2011 8:02pm

I'm not sure what's causing the decline in the house martin numbers.

Just outside Antrim a few pairs built in a bank a few years ago. This year I estimate the number to be 350 to 400 pairs

three of us dug a 13m bank after it collapsed in January

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buFZrm4ywvM

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 09-05-2011 3:09pm

Birdnuts wrote: »

I have also noticed a steady decline in this species since the 80's:( - could it be the same reason House Martins too have declined??

PS: On the other hand Sand Martins appear to have increased substantial during the same period!!

Apologies if this is veering off-topic from Swifts.

Sand Martin numbers seem to have dropped by over 20% in the past decade or so. That said, they are surprisingly difficult to keep a count on as they will be in a colony in a particualr area for many years and then over the space of 2 years, or less, will be gone. Only to re-appear elsewhere.

The decline is thought to be based on poor feeding on their migrations North and on the destruction of nests by people who don't like the dirt associated with having a House Martin's nest on their wall.
There is no problem with suitable sites but out attitude to their nests has certainly changed over the years.

swifts need our help! · 09-05-2011 3:46pm

what's nicer? Happy house martins or this

E39MSport · 12-05-2011 9:39am

There's an Article on Swifts in the latest edition of BWI kids 'Bird Detectives' which is a supplament to the hard copy of Wings.

Nothing of great importance or extra interest but it's nice to see.

swifts need our help! · 12-05-2011 10:18am

N Ireland Swift Group wrote it based on questions that were sent to us - or maybe that was for someone else

E39MSport · 16-05-2011 8:03am

Last edition of Wings (BWI) contains an article on Swift conservation. Haven't read it yet.

swifts need our help! · 16-05-2011 10:30am

I hope they didnt edit what we told them

Adrianno28 · 18-05-2011 12:00am

Swifts in kildare town too around kildare business park, and a few house martins flying around the curragh too, just to let u know!

swifts need our help! · 20-05-2011 11:12am

maybe they are nesting in a building at the business park

nilhg · 21-05-2011 1:27pm

Saw my first swift of the season, just one, on its own over one of my wheat fields as I was out spraying on Thursday.

Possible I suppose it was one of the ones from Kildare.

swifts need our help! · 01-06-2011 2:56pm

It's not too late to put up a swift nest box or two. Anyone planning to do so?

Traonach · 01-06-2011 11:35pm

swifts need our help! wrote: »

It's not too late to put up a swift nest box or two. Anyone planning to do so?

I finally got mine up:) I will post up a picture tomorrow (if time permits).

swifts need our help! · 02-06-2011 8:01am

excellent!

swifts need our help! · 02-06-2011 9:50pm

here's a list of talks the N Ireland Swift group will be giving this month
Tuesday 7th June - 7:30pm
South West College, Burn Road, Cookstown

Thurs 9 June - 7.30pm
Meet at the Crescent Arts Centre.
Contact Belfast City Council. Tel 028 9032 0202 ext 6652.

Tuesday 14th June - 7:00pm
Magherafelt Library, The Bridewell, 6 Church Street, Magherafelt.

Wednesday June 15th - 7.30pm
swift talk at Roe Valley Hospital, Limavady.
This is a very exciting site. Mark Smyth did a survey here and found 28 nests around the buildings

Thursday June 16th - time tbc
Dixon Park, Larne.
The park is at the junction of The Roddens and Edward Avenue.

Monday June 20th - time tbc
Omagh library

Wednesday June 22nd - 7.30pm
swift talk at Ballymoney Town Hall

Saturday June 25th - 3pm
National Trust Springhill, Moneymore.

Wednesday June 29th - 7.30pm
swift talk at Coleraine Leisure Centre

torrentum · 03-06-2011 10:37am

I've been looking frantically for a swift over the last few weeks to no avail. Is there any history of swifts in south Kilkenny? I'd love to see one.

swifts need our help! · 03-06-2011 10:52am

swifts should be present in every town and village. Check the older parts and stone buildings

cameramonkey · 03-06-2011 4:34pm

torrentum wrote: »

I've been looking frantically for a swift over the last few weeks to no avail. Is there any history of swifts in south Kilkenny? I'd love to see one.

have seen swifts in thomastown. lots of them.

swifts need our help! · 03-06-2011 5:01pm

we, the N Ireland Swift Group, are looking for large colonies of swifts in one building. Does anyone know of one? Most are under threat by redevelopment and demolition

We have
Roe Valley Hospital, Limavady, Co. L'derry 28+ pairs
Methodist Church, Omagh, Co. Tyrone +-20 pairs
Cresecent Arts Centre, Belfast 30+ pairs

Mark
http://www.saveourswifts.co.uk

E39MSport · 05-06-2011 11:14am

Spotted a healthy group at Leinster Mills on the Canal at Naas, Kildare yesterday. Haven't been to Derry lately.

torrentum · 05-06-2011 11:47am

cameramonkey wrote: »

have seen swifts in thomastown. lots of them.

I actually saw my first swifts ever yesterday - lots of them screaming around High Street in Kilkenny City

Mabel · 05-06-2011 1:57pm

Seems to be a small population in Malahide. Was drinking there last night and looking up in the beer garden could see a good few screaming overhead. Reminded me of Italy!

swifts need our help! · 05-06-2011 10:14pm

how about this for beginners luck! Only 8 days and a pair of swifts move in. The swifts were showing interest in a house martin nest box so I told him to take it down and get a swift box up.