Swift update -14th June

I haven’t done an update in a while , simply because the weather has been poor and not a lot has changed. 

The weather went cold 13 degrees and rain , northernlies. Most of the prospecting birds disappeared and I saw very little of the residents. 

3 days later back to 22 degrees and warm weather - activity again. 

Box 2 and 3 continue to incubate and they have been very discreet.

The single bird in box 1 is still roosting in there (last night) and also 6 prospecting birds have been hanging around but non have gone in any boxes yet. 

Swift Update - 30th May 2020

What a day yesterday was, at around 8pm the skies came alive with a big increase in swifts. I now have a single in box 1, pairs in box 2 & 3 , a very interested pair of bangers yesterday which I expect will find a box in the coming days. 4 more screamers arrived as well. So really positive 

I have also seen an increase in House Martins but with the ground being so dry I placed some mud out mixed with clay and straw making two small puddles. Let’s hope it works 

Swift Update 29th May 2020

Good news , whilst boxes 2 and 3 next build my bangers (3) have been building up courage to go in a box, I saw one last night (28th) May enter the small box 1. I hope they choose one of my other vacant boxes as box 1 is smaller and gets sun most of the day, I placed it to fill a gap but never expected it to be used before other ones. 

The weather has been excellent and really good for swifts , with activity most of the day. Long may it continue. 

Swift update 27th May 2020

Great weather for the past few days and an increase in swift activity.

on 25th May 2020 the second bird returned to box 2, making up the pair. it arrived mid morning to much exitement from its mate. They spent most of the day in and out of the box.

Box 3 are busy nest building. I expect eggs shortly.

3 prospecting birds turned up on Monday, they haven't been in a box yet. but I'm sure they will. they have been coming mid morning and around 2100pm.

I expect more and more swifts every day now with the forecast being so good. I have been playing the call most evenings and some mornings for an hour of so to help attract some.

Swift update 22nd May 2020

So my swift in box 3 was joined by its mate on Thursday 21st May 2020. The first bird entered at 20:20 pm and the second at 21:40 when it was almost dark. Luckily I was in bed with the window open and I could hear all the excitement on screams for 15 mins after it entered. 

In box 2 (the box that bread last year) , I was lucky last night 22nd May 2020 to be watering my tomato plants I have growing on the window ledge when a bird flew in to box 2. It was clearly not put off by be standing literally 1 foot from the box window in the house. 

The weather for swift watching hasn’t been good for the past couple of days , windy, mild though with no rain. But the swift have been busy feeding with thousands at Wintersett low over the lake this afternoon. 

Swift Update 20th May 2020

Yesterday at around 4 pm a swift entered box 3. This nest failed last year. 

As far as I can see there has been no new arrivals today. I have been playing the calls a little as well. And the weather has been brilliant for them , surprising. 

I suspect the mate will turn up anytime and breeding will commence. 

At 8pm the swift entered the box and roosted. 

Swift boxes up

Yesterday I placed my 2 newly build swift boxes at the front of the house , they were easy to fit with one solid screw enough to support them. 

They face south which could be an issue but they are under the eaves in the shade so they might be ok. They are also lower than the back, which might also be an issue but there is no fences in the way which is better. 

I plan to play the swift calls out of the window nest to them so that should help. 

I noticed 6 swifts over the house today , I suspect they are from the neighbouring estate. But I will keep an eye out later today. 

High pressure tomorrow and Thursday should bring some back. I expect mine back on Thursday, fingers crossed. 

 

New Swift Boxes

I had some spare 8mm plywood in the top of the garage , it’s been there years. 

So I decided to build some new swifts boxes built to the spec of the house eaves on our estate so they would sit flush. 

I measured up then cut the wood with a jigsaw, nailed together and used no more nails to seal. I then sanded the boxes with an electric sander and painted the boxes with teak oil and then PVA to seal. 

Another trick I found when building owl boxes is if you seal the edges using exterior filler and the sand and paint with pva glue, it gives a smooth and rock solid finish so I also did this. 

I’m always conscious when using non exterior ply to give it a good few coats to seal as it easily splits if water gets in. 

After this I painted 3x with ronseal dark oak wood paint (to match the colour of the houses. 

The boxes have a 30mm x 65mm bottom entrance that they can swoop into. There is also a grippy landing strip. I decided to try a bottom entrance to keep the boxes unobtrusive if the neighbours want one. I also referred to the Bristol swifts blog which mark advised that these boxes work better for him. I plan to place two of these on the front of my house and it’s south facing so I wanted to keep all of the box shaded and away from the sun. 

I added a nest cup, with was made from clay, and then stuck some budgie feathers (no budgies were hurt during the making of this) , some fluff from the tumble dryer and some twigs. The idea of this is to give the birds a head start, it takes a swift a full season to build a nest, this might just give them the encouragement they need to breed that year if they are mature birds- although swifts add to their nest every year as its slowly decomposing all the time. 

Spring Walks 24/4/2020

Up and out early this morning, it was very chilly, with a slight frost in some spots but it soon got warm as the sun got up. Disposal point was looking particularly well.

Most of our migrant warblers have now arrived and I was lucky to get a nice shot of a common whitethroat at disposal point today.

We also have a very showy male cettis warbler at Wintersett res, its been showy for a number of years which is quite unusual for this species which tends to be quite skulky.

this morning was perfect to get a few shots and I managed to get the light just perfect.

on another not I mentioned I took out the leaf cutter cigars from the bee hotel and placed them in a tub, I went to check on them today was was shocked at how sweet they smell when you lift the lid, it must be the pollen food they leave in the egg for the larvae then they hatch. No sign of hatching yet though, I guess that will be end of May.

Old photo of Anglers Country Park

Today I got sent a interesting photo of Anglers Country Park, from the hill overlooking the pol in 1990 , 30 years ago. 

I also received a few new books, I treated myself as I was 39 on Monday, I’m sure they will be good reads. 

Spring Walks - 20th April 2020

30th birthday today, I was hoping my luck would be in with a nice rarity but it appears not. However a nice array of birds entertained, including this showy Willow Warbler. 

In addition there was 3 singing Lesser Whitethroats around the ponds, not sure I have ever seen so many. 

On return home a nice garden bumblebee was probing my cowslips with its proboscis