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 

Spring Walks -19th April 2020

I’m quite enjoying this lockdown on a ‘connecting with nature’ sort of way. It’s given me the opportunity to do more walking as I usually drive to Wintersett.

The best time of the year is spring, and with the lockdown the banks of Anglers country park haven’t been cut by Wakefield council. This is giving wildflowers a chance to flower. This morning I noticed patches of cuckoo flower  

Description

Cardamine pratensis  on the north bank 

The longer grass is also supporting a number of Linnets around the lake



Two Hares were in the back field but wouldn’t let me get too close.

A noticeable increase in Swifts today as they start to trickle in, the bulk will arrive the 1st week of May. So on that note I decided to take the tape off the boxes this afternoon in anticipation for their arrival. 

Red Campion , Finally...

After 3 years of trying, I finally have some red campion in my wildflower edges. 

Not sure why it took so long to take, but this year is seem to have a few plants which I’m very happy about. 

Swifts in 2019

So following the success of 2018 I was keen to develop my colony further. 

14/4/2019 - I added two new boxes of the same Zeist design from the nest box company based in Solihull , they also custom built a box for me to fit in a small space at the edge of the house for a small charge. 

3/5/2019 - over 200 Swifts were just down the road at Wintersett but still non at home. 

27/5/2019- by the 27th May there was hardly any swifts in Crofton, this could be due to a terrible cyclone in Mozambique this winter, followed by by bad weather of the Sahara. Many Swift blogs reporting low numbers returning and mass fatalities. To be honest by this date I was panic stricken. 

28/5/2019- 3 swifts were screaming around the house- I played the swift calls to attract them. 2 swifts attempted to enter boxes from 8pm-10pm. Non entered boxes. 

29/5/2019- Swifts Roosted in Box 3. 

9/6/2019- A Swift flew out of box 4 

10/6/2019- Sunny and Mild, up to 30 Swifts over the house with 6 Screaming round - 2x pairs in box 3 and 4. 

18/6/2019 - 1 Banger 

23/6/2019- 2 boxes placed on neighbouring houses. Even some banging on neighbours boxes. 8/9 screaming around the street. 

3/8/2919- Swifts active in box 2 & 3, screaming parties of up to 10 birds. 2 birds see. Going in A neighbours house where no box was present. Box 3 had layed eggs but were ejected in mid July , maybe they fell out of the nest when an intruder entered. 

19/8/2019- box 2 feeding young, all other birds have left. 

25/8/2019 - Baby Swift peering out of the box 2 , decent sized bird. 

2/9/2919- Swifts still, but seldom seen. I predict only one bird still feeding the young. 

8/9/19- Swifts last heard , I presume the fledged overnight or on the 9th September. 

History of Greenside Swifts

The story of my Swifts (apus apus) started in June 2018. Crofton has two major swift colonies, one on Oak Street and the other on Shay Lane estate. These estates are typically 1950's built council estates, and well established colonies.

In 2018 Wakefield council decided to renovate these properties and have new soffits and facias and some new roofs. This was a tragedy for the Swifts , as many of their access holes were sealed.

After witnessing in June 2018 a number of birds attempting and failing to enter there usual nesting sites I decided to buy a number of boxes. 3 boxes were placed that year.

2018 Was a great Swift year, helped by the good weather. In June I played the Swift calls through a speaker out of the window to attract the birds. I quickly managed to attract 2 pairs within 3 days, which makes me wonder is these were Swifts which were ejected from nesting sites on Oak Street.

That same year I also had 12 'Bangers', these are 1st year birds who bang on potential nesting sites to see if they are occupied, they build a mental picture and return from Africa in their 2nd year to occupy them and build nests.

The Grotto - Walton Hall

Lockdown continues and I saw an opportunity to get into the Grotto, part of Walton Hall but hard to access with the golfers about. With the course being shut I would get in. 

It’s ancient woodland and there is remains of the structure which Charles Waterton built to use as a place to relax, I believe he also allowed residents from sheltered accommodation to visit for respite. 

An interesting place to explore. 

Building Nesting Space for Solitary Bees

Lockdown in full swing , I’ve been trying hard to find things to do. 

Last year I got a solitary bee hive, eventually getting leaf cutter bees which kept be occupied all summer watching them going in and out. 

I wanted to add more so I converted an old sleeper I had into a bee tower. Using 8mm and 10mm Holes drilled 10 cm deep. I got to attract them. I also cleaned out my hive, I stored all the leaf cutters egg cigar until they hatch in May/ June. 

Within a few house a mason bee had found the hive , let’s hope I get bothe mason and leaf cutters this year.

Making House Martin Nesting Cups

I had an idea to make some House Martin Nest cups. 

Last year I was asked in my local Crofton Facebook group to help with a nest which had fallen down. 

House martins use mud for their nests and they can fall down, on this occasion the Martin has made its nest on wood , I can only think that when the wood got hot and expanded the nest had dislodged, 

As the nest was too high and I didn’t have another I had to foster the chicks in other nests which is not ideal. 

I made the nests from polystyrene coated in filler, I then cut the polystyrene out and painted them brown and added some mud. 

I don’t have any plans to put these up but rather keep them in case of emergencies.