i live in a humble end terrace but every year swifts nest in the corner of my roof.i feel prvileged to have them and every year i feel a great sense of relief when they arrive.i love the high pitched squealing on summer nights as the family perform aerobatics up and down the street.then suddenly they are gone and i wait for them to return in the spring.a mysterious bird but one of (if not) my favourite.
Over the last few years have stopped at all the houses with Swifts or House martins nesting, and explained to the householder how important there house is!
The Response has been very good, it may help that I have a very good work uniform to help the cause.
Couple of years ago purchased a German CD Attracting Swifts Erich Kaiser, not had much luck until this year and thought it was going to work but not yet, will try again next year.
I thought people might find this e-mail from UK-swifts interesting
Here is some really good news about the UK's Swifts for a change!
Last week, Jake Allsop, Dick Newell, Mark Smyth, Edward Mayer, Clare Darlaston and me participated in a meeting at the RSPB headquarters at Sandy.
The topic for discussion with various conservation experts from the RSPB was the action that needed to be and could be taken to reverse the decline in the Swift population.It was a very positive meeting.
The RSPB acknowledged that the latest Breeding Bird Survey, which now shows the 1994 to 2007 UK decline has reached 41% (26% to 2006), confirms what we have been saying for a number of years, i.e. that Swifts are in serious trouble and need help.
The RSPB gave a verbal commitment to fund, develop and maintain a permanently updated inventory of Swift breeding sites. This will most likely be made available to planners etc., via the National Biodiversity Network (NBN). A web site will follow that will allow members of the public and enthusiasts to add to the database. All participants at the meeting agreed to forward any records in their possession to RSPB so that development of the database can begin. The RSPB will use its considerable publicity skills to ensure that these initiatives reach the largest audience possible.
They have also agreed to start lobbying for Common Swifts to be added to Part 1 of Schedule ZA1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act, which is for birds that return to the same nest sites each year. Currently only Golden Eagle, White Tailed Eagle and Osprey are listed. If the campaign is successful it will give many swift nesting places year-round protection from destruction or other disturbance. They made no promises that they'll succeed but at least they are going to try. We were asked to furnish evidence of colonies lost because of building renovation / demolition etc (Members - please respond!)
Finally, we were assured that Common Swift would be added to at least the Amber list at the next review, which will take place by the end of 2008 or early in 2009. This will mean that local authority biodiversity officers will start treating Swifts as a priority species and allocate resources accordingly.
I think members will agree that this meeting was a significant event in our effort to safeguard the future of Swifts in this country.
The enthusiastic participation of members on this groups site may well have had a positive influence on the RSPB's decisions. UK-SWIFTS will remain active until it is replaced by something better so keep sending your data.
Yes,Judith, I signed up last Monday. That's where I got the news about events at Antwerp. I have had a reply from the Antwerp town council, but unfortunately, it is in either Flemish or Waloon! I do't suppose there is anyone on the forums who speaks either?
Following on from the initial news of the destruction of 150 swift nests in Antwerp harbour, British conservationists are being urged to contact the relevent Belgian authorities in order to: 1) express their concern over the event 2) urge the authorities to prosecute those responsible and to strengthen, if necessary, local laws to prevent any repeat of this. 3) to make sure that some form of adequate alternative breeding site is ready for the surviving birds when they return next year.
To put this in a British context, 150 nests is about the same size as the largest known English (and possibly British) colony, which is currently only at half that number.
Forgot to mention the e-mail addresses !
stadstoezicht@stad.antwerpen.be (city supervisers) college@stad.antwerpen.be (city council) patrick.janssens@stad.antwerpen.be (mayor of Antwerp)
Don't know if anyone else has joined the swifts group, but among the first e.mails from them was a very disturbing one with a link to a report on a Belgian forum of the destruction of a large colony somewhere in that country. Can't make out much of the text but the pictures, plus intro from Geoff B. gives the gist. All, presumably, in the name of progress and a quick buck
