Where have the swifts gone ?

[Sue]

6 minutes ago, HeadNun said:

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

They seem to move quite fast, so it's easy to miss them probably.

Also the little ones are almost like large moths as they zoom across.

I stay in my (very small)  garden quite late hoping to see one. Usually I don't, maybe because I give up and go in too soon.

[Cyclemonkey]

All the swifts seem to be in France.  We are in Narbonne and the city is teaming with them as the sun goes down.

[sidebirdz]

If you care about the decline in the swift population please support the lovely Hannah Bourne-Taylor in her campaign to mandate 'swift bricks' in all new properties  

From her website:

What are swift bricks?

Zero maintenance and sustainable, swift bricks are bricks that sit flush to the wall that provide a cavity nesting habitat for swifts and other cavity nesting birds. Surveys show species include House martins, starlings, House sparrows, nuthatch, blue tit, coal tit and wren.

Why swift bricks are urgently and uniquely essential

Without swift bricks there is no guaranteed nesting habitat for birds reliant on building cavities anywhere in the UK – and there never will be. We are inadvertently destroying their oldcavity nesting sites through renovation, demolition and insulation, while climate mitigation measures mean modern buildings will never provide natural homes for birds.

https://hannahbournetaylor.com/

On 17/06/2025 at 19:59, 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.”

She is doing something to improve the world around us, what does it matter what social class she is from? The despicable Michael Gove offered support then did nothing. The current government, despite supposed concern for the environment, also failed to support the campaign. She took the trouble to write back to me when I asked a question. But carry on poking fun at honourable people while our surroundings decay. 

 

Edited Friday at 07:25 by Administrator
Removed personal attack - warning given

[Sue]

Hope the swifts survived the storm 😮

And other birds.

[Mabaker]

There's a colony of bats at Dawsons Heights. You have to be there at the right time, then only visible for about five minutes until they flutter into the darkness.

[ianr]

On 03/07/2025 at 17:52, sidebirdz said:

If you care about the decline in the swift population please support the lovely Hannah Bourne-Taylor in her campaign to mandate 'swift bricks' in all new properties  

Incidentally, Southwark seems to have possibly adopted a requirement of swift boxes in new-builds anyway, and I think they're not the only LA to have done so. I recently added to to my post in https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/342208-free-swift-nest-box-installation-in-se22/#comment-1703954, the edit:-

[ 30/4/25, 18/6/25  ETA To answer my own question: I see that 4 swift nesting boxes were actually  required at an earlier stage of that same developments application.  In the 4/4/25 Decision Notice of  application 24/AP/3740 is:

"8. The development shall be carried out in accordance with the swift bricks details approved under 24/AP/3596 unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority ]

 

 

[Moovart]

52 minutes ago, ianr said:

Incidentally, Southwark seems to have possibly adopted a requirement of swift boxes in new-builds anyway, and I think they're not the only LA to have done so. I recently added to to my post

I think you're right but I would love to know if anyone who has put in a swift brick for planning has actually seen a swift or other bird, or even a bat nesting in it.  Hopefully someone will post on here 🤞