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]

  On 17/06/2025 at 18:59, 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.”

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Of all the many possible reasons, too 🤣

[Nigello]

  On 16/06/2025 at 21:30, 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.

Expand  

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]

  On 18/06/2025 at 21:32, Nigello said:

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

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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 08:42, 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.

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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.