Bathwick Estate Swift Project
New Bathwick Estate Swift Sighting Log for 2025
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Dear Residents,
I hope you are looking forward to the return of the swifts from Africa, which we expect to see from the beginning of May. We have lots of existing nest sites and recently installed nest boxes on the Estate. What we need to do this year is get as much information as we can on how many are being used, and by how many swifts. Here's how you can help! 1 - Please report sightings of swifts entering or leaving nest sites. How many swifts do you see entering or leaving, and which site (ie in or on which house)? 2 - Please report sightings of "screaming parties" - groups of swifts flying fast and low around groups of houses making their characteristic screaming noise. They do this around nesting sites as a social bonding activity, and to encourage nestlings to emerge. Please report how many you see, and where (ie round which houses) they are doing it. In both cases please include your name, and the date and time of the sighting. Don't report swifts just flying around the Estate, and/or maybe feeding. While it's nice to see, they could be nesting far away. Please put your reports in the table below. I hope we will all see lots of reporting over the next few months. Contact me, Charles Draper, via WhatsApp if you have any questions. |
This baby swift was found on the Bathwick Estate and taken to a Swift shelter.
There is a Swift Project running on the Bathwick Estate.
Every year the Bathwick Estate gets a group of new residents from May until September
when the Swifts arrive. Many residents on the estate enjoy watching the Swifts,
bringing up their young and then leaving to winter elsewhere. You may have seen these wonderful birds putting on fantastic flying displays and screaming frenzies.
Swifts only ever land to nest - they eat, drink, preen, sleep and mate while flying. Unfortunately, the numbers of Swifts have declined rapidly in recent years. They are declining each year
because of a lack of suitable nesting sites as people block up access to their roof spaces.
We are trying to support the Swifts by installing nesting boxes across the estate.
We get regular advice from the RSPB and Action For Swifts.
Here is some guidance on swift boxes. And here.
Here is a recommended design if you are making one yourself.
Every year the Bathwick Estate gets a group of new residents from May until September
when the Swifts arrive. Many residents on the estate enjoy watching the Swifts,
bringing up their young and then leaving to winter elsewhere. You may have seen these wonderful birds putting on fantastic flying displays and screaming frenzies.
Swifts only ever land to nest - they eat, drink, preen, sleep and mate while flying. Unfortunately, the numbers of Swifts have declined rapidly in recent years. They are declining each year
because of a lack of suitable nesting sites as people block up access to their roof spaces.
We are trying to support the Swifts by installing nesting boxes across the estate.
We get regular advice from the RSPB and Action For Swifts.
Here is some guidance on swift boxes. And here.
Here is a recommended design if you are making one yourself.
Swifts on Saturday 27 May 2023
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