Where have the swifts gone ?

[dimples]

We had a couple this year for about a week and now nothing ?!

I went up to the dales and only saw 1 

it’s so sad

Edited June 16 by dimples

[CPR Dave]

There have been plenty in the evening skys I think? Have another look in an hour or so.

[Mabaker]

Where abouts are they? I haven't seen any

[Sue]

We saw quite a few yesterday evening  while sitting in the garden (Ulverscroft Road) (plus a bird of prey which hopefully wasn't after the swifts).

The life of a swift is absolutely amazing, as is the distance they travel in a lifetime! I googled it last night!

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swift

Edited June 16 by Sue

[tiddles]

Loads in upland road last night…

[TWB Cat Sitter]

The swifts & bats are alive & well around Upland Road. A beautiful sight & sound in the evenings. Just be sure to leave plenty of water out for them, as they are at high risk of dehydration & struggle to take flight at ground level.

[Dulwichway]

Gone to the better hunting grounds during this local ongoing dry spell.

[geh]

feels like more this year than in previous?

[the_hermit]

You can hear them - they make a unmistakable skweee, skweee sound.  We've never had any joy with our swift box though.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

dimples may be right:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/17/swifts-decline-uk-birds-swift-bricks

[Friernlocal]

Seen lots on Bawdale Road this week. Even seen them going into the roof space of a couple of houses. They land on the wall just under the gutters and crawl up behind the board the gutter attached to.

[CPR Dave]

Couldn't stop laughing at this from Mrs double barreled swift fancier:

"Loads of people have told me that they will never vote Labour again because of how the government have acted on swift bricks.”

[Sue]

42 minutes ago, CPR Dave said:

Couldn't stop laughing at this from Mrs double barreled swift fancier:

"Loads of people have told me that they will never vote Labour again because of how the government have acted on swift bricks.”

Of all the many possible reasons, too 🤣

[Nigello]

On 16/06/2025 at 22:30, TWB Cat Sitter said:

The swifts & bats are alive & well around Upland Road. A beautiful sight & sound in the evenings. Just be sure to leave plenty of water out for them, as they are at high risk of dehydration & struggle to take flight at ground level.

Which part of Upland? I’m guessing nearer to the cemetery. 

[maryev]

There were lots around adys and oglander yesterday morning.

[sunbob]

Was just watching about 8 playing around above the Piermont Green area.

[tiddles]

Yes saw around 10 last night, plus a bat and stag beetle earlier in the week (near piermonf)

[Nigello]

Please tell me where the *bats* are. I’ve an empty swift box so I’m more interested in the little flying mammals. 

[malumbu]

Jealous, we only get them high up around my way.  I've seen loads I ln other locations sweeping low, particularly near the river Lee.

However decline is not just about the UK, but about the country of origin, and their stopping places on their migration 

[TWB Cat Sitter]

21 hours ago, Nigello said:

Which part of Upland? I’m guessing nearer to the cemetery. 

The North Cross Road end. We're on Hindmans Rd.
The swifts are here from dawn till dusk, with the bats making an appearance at roughly 10pm.

[fishboy]

I think there's the usual number this year -15-20 - screeching around high & low, zooming between the houses and generally being awesome. The back gardens between Colyton, Dovedale, Mundania & Shelbury always seem to have a colony in the summer - no idea where their nests are though.

There's also what appears to be a solitary bat that zooms back & forth along the front gardens of Colyton, unless it is several but you never see two at once!

[Sue]

I keep hoping to see a bat in my garden  - I have done occasionally in previous years.

Maybe I am going inside  too early.

[peckhambog]

Saw five swifts squealing and feeding at 20:48 this evening around the Barry Road/Underhill Road junction.

[Sue]

On 20/06/2025 at 09:42, Sue said:

I keep hoping to see a bat in my garden  - I have done occasionally in previous years.

Maybe I am going inside  too early.

Saw three little ones the other night, after around 10.15

Or possibly the same one three times!

❤️

Edited July 2 by Sue

[HeadNun]

I want more bat sightings! Can't remember the last time I saw one. Utterly fascinated by them.