Jane Goodall's Video Message for Swifts

It is not often that we reblog something, but we thought this was a particularly good video clip to promote Swifts and what we can do to help them. Thank you Martine Wauters for showing us this.

You can read about Jane Goodall's work here:

janegoodall.org

rootsandshoots.org

Swifts on BBC One Songs of Praise

On July 17th 2015, a BBC film crew visited the Worlington Swift Festival at All Saints Church, for a piece to be included in the religious program 'Songs of Praise' on 27th September. 


You can read the history of the Worlington project up to 2012 on this blogpost and about the last Worlington Swift Festival in 2013 here. In 2013, there were 11 pairs in the belfry, then 20 in 2014 and now 26 in 2015.

Sparrowhawk attack!

Written by Dick

This sort of thing can test one's sympathies for Sparrowhawks.

However, one starts to wonder what can be done to make life more difficult for the Sparrowhawk. If the problem persists, I may be tempted to extend the louvres by about 25mm, so that the Swift can get out of danger as quickly as possible.

Fortunately, both Swifts in this box have survived so far.

Geolocator Swift returns to Landbeach

Contributed by Dick

This swift with a geolocator returned to its nestbox on 13th May, following its mate that returned on 11th May. It was fitted with its geolocator on 21st July 2011, and then continued returning to the nest-box until the chicks fledged on 28th July.
The video shows the bird with the geolocator returning first, followed over 20 minutes later by its mate bringing the first feather in of 2012. The initial greeting looks more like a fight, but they soon settle down for a night of mutual preening.

Wailing Wall welcome ceremony for returning Swifts

When this hit the news, we thought it worth highlighting and summarising here. As Jerusalem, is much further south and east, Swifts arrive in March, 2 months earlier than our birds, so they have already welcomed their birds back.  


Contributed by Jake

We all know that moment of joy when we welcome our returning Swifts, but in Jerusalem the welcome is huge, formal and very well organised. Every year, a ceremony takes place at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, where there is a breeding colony of Swifts.

Announcing the welcoming event

The proceedings are led by the Mayor and other local dignatories, together with Swift specialists like Dr. Yossi Leshem, from the Tel-Aviv University and Society for the Protection of Nature and Amnonn Hahn, General Manager of “FRIENDS OF THE SWIFTS” Association.
The Western Wall in Jerusalem is of great historical and religious significance.

Decay of a Swift nest

Contributed by Dick

People often ask whether it is necessary to clear out a Swift nest-box at the end of the season. This video shows that it is not necessary, as a thriving population of invertebrates will do it for you.



Between 14th August, after the 2nd chick fledged, and 6th November, the video shows one second per day. It is remarkable how much the bugs disturb the nest every day, reducing it from a beautiful feathered construction to a pile of detritus.

A Swift's last 3 hours in the nest

Contributed by Dick

The first Swift fledged early in the morning of 28th July. So, I left the camera running for 3 hours in the hope of capturing the 2nd chick leaving. This is the result showing the last feed by the parent Swift with geolocator, a cameo appearance by a flatfly Crataerina pallida, the Swift's last exercises, and finally leaving. We were in the garden outside having lunch, and witnessed its first flight - magic!

Swift behaviour with geolocator

Contributed by Dick

Swifts are declining, and one of the reasons could be something happening on their migration or in winter quarters on top of the loss of nest-sites. The advent of light-sensitive geolocators has provided great potential to fill in the gaps of where they go, and where they linger when they leave our shores.

There is bound to be apprehension at fitting anything to a small bird, particularly a Swift with its extreme fitness requirements, however, return rates of birds in previous years are no worse than one would expect from normal mortality, especially for birds caught leaving the nest, rather than birds caught on the nest.

On 21st July, one Swift was caught leaving my camera box, and fitted with a geolocator by Chris Hewson and Phil Atkinson from the BTO. That night, and since, the bird returned to the nest-box. Here is some video: