Aldeburgh Times October 2020
Nature or Nurture?
As summer draws to a close, our last rescued Swift has now left for Africa. He is likely to have started his migration alone as by the end of August, although some late breeders can still be with us, most Swifts will have left the UK.
One of the most frequent questions we are asked is how do Swifts find their way to Africa and then back to the same place every year? But more fundamental than this is how do they acquire the ability to navigate in the first place?
So much of what we know and do is learnt in our early years from our parents or at school but for our birds, and indeed other wildlife, it would seem that much of it must be inbred at birth. Lion cubs learn to hunt by watching their parents but for Swiflets there is no opportunity to be taught how to fly, navigate or migrate and when a fledgling leaves its nest (never to land for at least two or even three years) it hasn’t even had the chance to practice flying or feeding on the wing.
Even if Swifts are somehow able to learn from their parents, our youngest bird this year was only 11 days old when it was brought to us so the length of time it had to learn anything was short and it certainly didn’t acquire any skills from being in a cardboard box for the next four weeks.
Releasing a rescued Swift is an anxious time as we can only wonder at how it has learnt to fly and how it knows where to go. Of course we have no way of knowing if it will survive the journey south or if it will return to Aldeburgh from where it was released or go back to the place where it was born. Maybe Aldeburgh’s Swift population will be increased by our returning rescues!
Our thanks to all those caring people around East Anglia who took the trouble to bring us the fallen Swiftlets that doubtless would have perished other than for their quick thinking and action.
Creating a Wilder Suffolk
The Carnival is over, the children have gone back to school and our Swifts have left town… well, almost.
George, our rescued Swift chick referred to in last month’s article, successfully flew from Kings Field after three weeks in our care, so by now should be somewhere in central Africa. But a call from Bungay during the first week of September led to the recovery of another fledgling which hadn’t made the treacherous flight from his nest successfully.
The fact that young Swifts were still in the nest at the beginning of September indicates that this year our birds have been pushed to the limit of their breeding time, in part due to a cold spring. Add the apparent lack of food supply to the climate conditions, then it certainly hasn’t been an easy year for them and a late migration will bring even more risks on their journey south.
If changing weather patterns and our use of pesticides are the reasons behind the heightened challenge our Swifts and other birds appear to be facing, then Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s call for a Wilder Suffolk comes not a moment too soon. If you haven’t seen their community action film, in which the Save our Suffolk SwiftsGroup features, then go to www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/film. There is a strong message urging community action to help preserve the county’s wildlife and more recently it is encouraging to hear that East Suffolk Council is starting a pilot scheme to reduce grass and hedge cutting in Saxmundham and Southwold to reduce their carbon emissions and preserve areas for insects.
It is hoped that this sort of initiative will spread as our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is now under more pressure than ever from development and its preservation is critical to both the wildlife that inhabit it and to the people who live within or come to visit it. The clock is ticking and our wildlife is waiting to see what we’re going to do to turn the tide.
Aldeburgh Times September 2019
Just as the amazing Painted Lady butterflies were arriving in the UK on their mass migration north, our Swifts started their journey south back to Africa. Aldeburgh’s juvenile birds left at the end of July and many others were observed following them a week later.
So has it been a good year for our birds? Numbers in Aldeburgh seem to have held up well in contrast to elsewhere in the UK. In the church in Worlington near Mildenhall, one of the main monitoring sites in Suffolk, breeding started late this year which brings the risk that some of the chicks may be abandoned by their parents as the instinct to fly south seems to outweigh that of caring for their young. Self-preservation to enable the adults to raise a family the following year may be the dominant motivator.
We believe two Swifts successfully fledged from our own nest box and there was evidence of occupation in two further boxes in the town. Prospecting for next year was witnessed at the boxes on the side of the Cragg Sisters Tea Room, as shown in the photograph, so the likelihood of nesting birds in 2020 is looking good.
The last two weeks in July saw a spate of calls to us and to the Swift rescue centre in Worlington, run by Judith Wakelam, with young chicks being brought to us weighing little more than 20 grams. It is thought that a lack of food was forcing the chicks out of the nests early. We were also called upon to rescue three adult birds from the downpipe hopper opposite the Cragg Sisters together with one which was found on the ground. One chick, found in Westleton, remains in our care as I write but hopefully will have flown by the time you read this.
Once again, our thanks to everyone who has supported us this year and we hope that watching the skies in the summer has now become just a little more interesting. It’s going to be a long wait until 7thMay 2020!
Aldeburgh Times August 2019
Spreading our wings
Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s Nature summit held in June was an inspiring forum which showed how community groups can do a lot to help preserve our wildlife, whether it be hedgehogs, toads, swifts or flora & fauna generally.
The young people on stage discussing their passion and grave concerns for the future of our countryside and indeed for themselves, was a poignant reminder of how what we do now will determine how our country, and indeed the world, will look and feel like in the years to come.
It is to be hoped that residents, visitors and Councils as well as wildlife groups, will embrace SWT’s call for a Wilder Suffolkand that what used to be our ‘normal’ policies and actions must now be challenged to help sustain our wildlife.
Aldeburgh’s Amazing Swiftsare spreading their wings too. With support from the Adnams’ Community Trust, a nature board will be presented to a number of primary schools in East Suffolk following our summer series of children’s Swift Road-Shows. We are also widening our Swift nest box campaign to Thorpeness – two boxes have already been installed on the Meare boathouse, together with a call system and nature board kindly funded by a private donor and the Suffolk Coasts and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Community & Conservation Fund.
Suffolk Secrets have also kindly offered to install nest boxes on their owners’ holiday homes in Thorpeness so if you are one of these owners please do take up their offer. For other property owners in the village please do get in touch with us if you would like to support our campaign to help preserve these endangered birds and don’t forget, unlike Swallows and House Martins, Swifts don’t make a mess so you will be very happy to have them as tenants.
STOP PRESS– since last month’s update, four more natural Swift nest sites have been identified in Aldeburgh and we believe serious interest, if not occupation of one, has been shown in the Cragg Sisters’ nest boxes.
Aldeburgh Times July 2019
Swift nest box update
Putting up a nest box for our feathered friends is always a bit of a hit and miss affair. Many Blue and Great tit boxes remain empty for years despite avid interest during the spring and Robins often prefer to nest in old watering cans casually discarded next to the shed.
But in the same way as we might renovate our homes to our preferred style, birds will also adapt a house to make it into a home. This month’s photograph (taken at Snape Maltings) shows where a Blue tit has taken over one of last year’s House Martin’s nests whilst the Martins continue to live right next door. Even the Martins have been somewhat inventive – they usually nest under the eaves but on this occasion they have created their nest in a hole in the wall just big enough to accommodate them.
So what about Aldeburgh’s supply of new Swift boxes? Are there any occupants yet? Well we know that a number of Blue tits and House sparrows have taken a fancy to a few of them and to date we believe that three of the boxes are being occupied by Swifts for the first time. We are thrilled that two of the four boxes on the side of our own house have nesting pairs but unfortunately they have chosen the two boxes without the cameras! If you would like to see some live webcam footage of Swifts in a nest box then go to www.jerzyki-webcam.plwhich shows some excellent quality video of a nesting pair in Poland.
The RSPB has launched a campaign to get 1000 Swift boxes installed in the UK and locally GreenSnape Community Group has organised the installation of over 25 boxes in their village. A number of new boxes have also been put up in Benhall and Thorpeness (on the Meare Boat-house) where we hope to have more up ready for next season.
Meanwhile, the Jackdaws are back in the Parish church tower again this year and they have two chicks – unfortunately, however, there’s no sign of any Swifts wanting to make a home there yet.
Aldeburgh Times June 2019
Aldeburgh’s Climate Challenge
Aldeburgh’s Amazing Swifts are back for the summer. Earth’s migratory system is still working … but for how much longer?
Climate Change has finally hit the headlines. David Attenborough’s Our Planetseries, his programme Climate Change – the truthand Extinction Rebellion’s marches have all highlighted the challenge our planet is facing. Who could not have been moved by Greta Thunberg‘s emotional speech to the EU but will World leaders take the decisive action necessary to halt the melting of the polar icecap, the destruction of the rainforests and the pollution of our skies?
Unfortunately Aldeburgh might be on the receiving end of some big energy projects soon which will bring its own pollution issues – what will the carbon footprint of building two nuclear reactors at Sizewell actually be? In addition, our dash for renewable energy might not be without damaging consequences for our wildlife and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
But what are the solutions to this crisis? Indeed what changes did we all start to make after hearing those speeches or watching those programmes? It is incumbent on us all to take immediate action to avoid having some material changes to our way of life imposed upon us.
Being mindful of our own carbon footprint and henceforth reducing our consumption of earth’s natural resources is something we will all have to embrace. We could all start by ‘moving our day’ by one hour and getting up with the birds to make the most of the morning daylight thus reducing lighting use in the evening. Also we should consider just how many air miles we clocking up each year as we seek to emulate the birds’ migration to warmer climates.
Here in Aldeburgh the risk of rising sea levels is a particular and real threat to us, so what measures will we all be taking to be able to call our house a ‘Green’ house? Certainly our birds and wildlife are depending on us to take some immediate action.
Aldeburgh Times May 2019
It’s that wonderful time of year again! Our Swifts should be back on May 7th (although earlier sightings are quite likely this year given the weather we’ve had) and breeding pairs will be checking out last year’s nest sites as soon as they arrive.
It’s also time for a big ‘thank you’ once again to everyone who has supported us over the past year and we’re hopeful that, by the time you read this, nest box No. 100 will have been installed overlooking the Primary School playground. Our thanks to the owner of High Tide and to Suffolk Secrets for their support in allowing this installation.
Maintaining existing natural nest sites is a critical factor in helping to halt the decline in Swift numbers and last month we had our first opportunity to see if a nest site in the High Street could be preserved when the roof was being replaced.
Careful removal of the pantiles showed where the nest was located – about 12 inches up the roof slope from the birds’ entrance point above the gutter, with the nest resting on a narrow batten in between the roofing felt and the tiles. Hardly the most luxurious and spacious accommodation and it must have got incredibly hot in summer!
Fortunately the original tiles were being retained thus allowing the entrance to the existing nest site to be preserved. Whilst the initial plan was to try and reinstate the nest in exactly the same location, we actually decided to relocate the nest in the box section behind the facia board to give the birds significantly more space for their nest without compromising the performance of the new roof.
Only time will tell whether we have been successful but this has shown how our Swifts can be accommodated when renewing roofs which is critical for them as they return to the same nest site every year, assuming they survive the 15,000 mile round trip to Africa and back. We must express our sincere thanks to the owners of Shrimp Cottage and to 3A Roofing Ltd for their cooperation and understanding
Aldeburgh Times April 2019
A message from Storm
Trust me, it’s not just you Brits who fret about the weather! It’s fine for you – you just put on your coat and hat, head into town (probably in the car) to do your shopping and then pop back home. For me, heading home is a little more challenging than that.
But where is home for me? Whilst I was born in Aldeburgh, most of my life is spent in Africa and indeed travelling there and back. No turning up at an airport for a quick flight north in a comfortable plane where someone else takes care of flight control and dishing out the food & drink.
My 7,500 mile journey back from the Congo is fraught with danger but the weather is probably the most important one. And how wrong did my friends the Swallows get it this year, arriving as they did on the south coast of England during the lovely weather you had in February only to be hit by the gales a few weeks later? When will they learn to leave it later like we Swifts do?
Last year the weather presented us summer visitors with a huge challenge as we got as far as Spain only to then get held up by the bad weather. Then we overheated in our nests during the summer to such a point that many of our chicks decided they’d had enough of the sauna-like conditions and jumped from the nest too early.
So whether you call this ‘Climate Change’ or just an evolutionary change to world weather patterns, please spare a thought for us birds and think about what you can do to halt the change.
In the meantime, I’m packing my bags, checking my passport (you will let me back in won’t you!?) and building up my energy for the long haul north. All being well I’ll see you on May 7thand hopefully will meet up with my mate again in time to raise another family in my homeland.
See you soon
Storm
Aldeburgh Times February 2019
How often have you wished you had a crystal ball to predict the outcome of events or the decisions that we make in the course of our lives?
Had we foreseen the effects of plastic on our beaches and on our wildlife or of pollution on our health, might we have changed the course of our actions to avoid the damage that we have inflicted on our planet? Whilst the results of many of our previous actions have now become all too obvious, increasingly we are able to foresee and assess the possible consequences of our future actions.
The recent BBC series‘Cities – Nature’s new wild’has shown how wildlife has been seriously challenged by the urbanization of the territory that was once exclusively theirs. Unfortunately the feature on Beijing’s Swifts was pulled from the UK version but it vividly demonstrated how these birds have managed to survive and thrive by nesting in man-made structures.
It was also interesting to learn how the city of Beijing recognises that the relationship is mutually beneficial as the people living there acknowledge the vital service the Swifts provide by helping to control the number of mosquitoes. A Swift can consume over 7,000 insects in a day, many of which will be irritating pests to us. Indeed they have become an integral part of the fabric of the city since the Ming Dynasty. Maybe the same applies to Aldeburgh!
Perhaps we do underestimate the benefits we derive from the wildlife around us whether it be consuming unwanted insects or preserving particular types of habitat which make up some of our unique coastal landscape.
But whilst nature has an amazing capacity to overcome the obstacles we present it with, locally we have to wonder what challenges we are going to introduce if Sizewell C & D and/or the substation at Friston get the go ahead to be built on our Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and SSSIs. There is clearly a risk to the area’s flora and fauna and we can only hope thatthe strapline on the Government’s LandscapeforLife.org website “Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are Landscapes for Life”is honored and that a full independent Environmental Impact Survey is made available ahead of any planning applications. Only then will we be able to make an informed decision on the proposals and on the risks they will present to our wildlife and to Minsmere in particular. The fear is that we will not find out for many years and by then it may be too late for our wildlife to recover.
So don’t forget, express your view to EDF by the end of the month and then support the RSPB’s #LoveMinsmere campaign.
Aldeburgh Times article November 2018
Swifts and the Wildlife Challenge
Hopefully our Swifts have now safely reached their winter destination in the Congo – no mean feat being a journey of 7,500 miles without stopping! But flying long distances is not the only challenge our wildlife is facing and recent media coverage has highlighted the threat to both our resident and migratory species.
Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planetfocused on the devastation caused by plastic in our oceans and waterways and more recently Chris Packham’s People’s Walk for Wildlife showed that people do care and that they want some action to be taken at Government level to prevent an ‘ecological apocalypse’.
Whilst we may all be concerned about the ongoing destruction of the Amazon rainforest, here in the UK we continue to view our SSSI and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty as something less than sacrosanct despite these areas being legally and purposefully set aside for wildlife. Indeed our Suffolk Coast & Heaths AONB remains under threat from housing and, of course, another nuclear power station.
It is now thought that destroying the flora and fauna within these areas may well have a long-term adverse impact on our own existence and with 15% of this country’s wildlife species threatened with extinction, a recent study shows that the state of the UK’s biodiversity ranks at number 189 out of 218 countries. Not exactly something for us to be proud of.
There is a great deal that we can do to protect our local environment if we become ‘mindful’ of our actions and take some small steps to help our wildlife, whether it be the occasional beach clean, putting out bird food or installing nest boxes.
Here in Aldeburgh we have been able to identify twenty natural Swift nest sites this summer (unfortunately we are unsure if the White Hart has retained its residents) but what results have we to show for the Swift nest boxes which residents have installed? Occupation in the first year was always unlikely – but 3 Blue tits, 1 Great tit and a family of Starlings have been recorded and Swifts have been spotted inspecting a number of the boxes hopefully with a view to returning next year. All four of our own boxes have had pairs taking up short-term occupancy (see photo) most likely attracted by the call system we installed, so there is a good chance that we might secure some tenants next May.
The return of our Swifts in future years will be one measure of our success in preserving habitats for our wildlife and evidence that the extraordinary migratory cycle is still working.
Aldeburgh Times article August 2018
Swifts in Jerez
One e-mail said “Swifts in their 1,000s (no exaggeration) attack the walls and provide a spectacular airborne display…”. Another said “I think all the Swifts are in Jerez, thousands, literally, of them…”
Now I know that from time to time we are all prone to exaggeration but receiving two e-mails on the same day, about the same town on the same subject? This just had to be investigated further … but to save you a flight to Spain, take it from me, the observations were not wrong!
When we arrived in the centre of Jerez at lunchtime, much to our concern, the skies were empty. But we needn’t have worried. As we sat outdoors eating dinner in the warmth of the evening sun, the skies filled with the incredible sight and sound of screaming Swifts.
The Alcazar in Jerez is an old fort where every hole in the ancient walls, and there are thousands of them, provides a nest site for a family of Swifts. Consequently in the early mornings and late evenings the sky is full of these amazing birds in unbelievable numbers and during the nesting season the chicks can be seen precariously balanced at the edge of the holes.
Meanwhile back in Aldeburgh, to our great delight, Swifts have taken up temporary residence in all four of our new nest boxes. Witnessed on camera, one adult spent two nights alone in one box before being joined by a partner. Were these the two-year olds bonding and reserving a nest site for next year? They certainly could be and if so, this suggests that, contrary to our previous understanding, rather than just banging on the outside of a box to reserve it for the following year, Swifts may briefly occupy a box during the year before they are ready to breed.
Sadly, as you read this article, our Swifts will be planning their journey back to Africa; indeed they may have already left as by the end of August they will all be gone. We will now be wishing our lives away waiting for the Swifts’ return on 7thMay next year and then to see how many of our boxes around town secure a new resident – we may not be able to compete with Jerez yet but Aldeburgh has certainly made a flying start!
Aldeburgh Times article July 2018
Aldeburgh’s amazing… Starlings
Our winter night roosting Great Tit was ousted by a Starling just before the ‘Beast from the East’ hit and she duly set up home in our Swift box. So we had a decision to make – did we help preserve the sight of our screaming Swifts or of a Starling murmuration?
But Starling numbers are declining just like the Swifts so we decided to let them build their home. Watching them on our nest box camera gave a fascinating insight into their daytime and nocturnal habits. From egg laying to fledging took just 20 days and four Starlings successfully left the nest in the early hours of the 28th May.
For a number of days the young remained dependent on their parents to feed them even though the food was right there on a plate in front of them!
To many people, Starlings have the reputation of being noisy squabbling birds and they’re not wrong! The chicks are as noisy as the adults, which is in marked contrast to the placid Jackdaw chicks which were on the nest box camera in the Parish Church (two young birds successfully fledged).
Spring Watch last month once again gave us an insight into how our birds, both large like the Goshawk and small like the Firecrest, face the challenges of bringing up their young. Anywhere on the food chain is a dangerous place to be unless you’re at the top and even our Swifts are a meal to the occasional Hobby. Swift numbers in Aldeburgh are down on last year, possibly due to the bad weather in southern Europe during the migration, but hopefully this year will be a successful breeding season for the few who managed to return … and we do believe the White Hart family are back!
Aldeburgh Times article May 2018
Last to arrive after the Swallows and House Martins, our Swifts are due back any day and Aldeburgh can now offer over 50 new homes for these summer visitors. We are indebted to the many residents who have supported our campaign and helped us exceed our target – Thank you!
With the kind permission of the Rector, Mark Lowther and the Tower Captain, Richard Rapior, new discreet nesting sites have been created in the Parish Church tower and we are grateful to the Suffolk Secrets/Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Fund for its support, enabling us to install these with a camera and call system. Do visit the church and look up at the nesting sites in the lower louvres on the south side of the tower.
There is only an outside chance that we attract Swifts this year, but in the meantime the nesting Jackdaws may well be starring on the television located inside the church. The belfry has been home to a number of Jackdaws for many years and their nests are now over 2ft tall, sandwiched between the slate louvres and the inner window above the West Door. There is always the risk that the Swifts will be intimidated by their noisy neighbours, as indeed they often are by Starlings, but hopefully we will be able to witness some live wildlife in action over the summer.
Aldeburgh Times April 2018
Text of post card reads!
Dear All
I am getting ready for my return flight to Aldeburgh having spent most of the winter here in the Congo.
I hear you’ve had some terrible weather whilst I’ve been away enjoying the sunshine.
Some of my friends have already left on their journey back to China and others will be off to Israel soon. Really looking forward to discovering some of the houses you have been putting up for us and I’ve seen on’swift-tripadvisor’that there are some new penthouse apartments to rent in theParish Church too.
Hang out the flags…..I’ll see you on May 7th!
Love from Storm – Aldeburgh’s Amazing (rescued) Swift
P.S please note the date opposite – it’s our first such event
Aldeburgh Times article March 2018
Who’s been sleeping in my bed…?
You may well have noticed that even at the beginning of February Blue Tits and Great Tits were checking out your nest boxes ahead of this year’s breeding season, despite the fact that, at the time of writing, winter seemed far from over. This may indeed be what they were doing but does this mean your boxes will only be used in the summer?
BBC’s Winter Watch had stunning film clips of Long-tailed Tits huddled together on a branch trying to keep warm and you may have often wondered where all the birds go at night. Many will hide under bushes, in the reeds out on the marsh or under whatever protection they can find but it is quite possible that, unbeknown to you, they may be roosting in your nest box – and they may well be squatting in someone else’s house while the intended resident is away on holiday.
Whilst testing our Swift nest box camera recently we were surprised to find the bird pictured below all snuggled up in our box. Certainly not a Swift given that they are sunning themselves 7,500 miles away in Africa – so who is it? Each evening she arrives at 4.30pm and leaves just before 7.30am so this ball of feathers sleeps for fifteen hours (on one leg) stirring only occasionally to fluff up her duvet.
So don’t wait until the spring to put up a nest box; do leave it out over the winter months as you may well provide a night-time home for one of our winter residents which literally could mean the difference between life and death. It may also help secure you a tenant for the summer.
So have you worked out who she is?
A Great Tit
Aldeburgh Times article January 2018
A date for your calendar!
Now you’ve hung up your new 2018 calendar here’s a date to put on it … May 7th. On this day Aldeburgh’s Swifts will start to arrive – yes, they really are that predictable and they will be the last of our aerial acrobats to arrive. The Swallows and House Martins will have beaten them back from Africa. Last year’s parents will return to the exact same nest they used last summer but this year our Swifts will have a few new houses to inspect thanks to the many local residents who have supported our local campaign to put up nest boxes.
The challenges of flying back from their winter migration are not to be underestimated and every year we expect our migrants just to turn up again. But this expectation is under threat. Songbird numbers are declining dramatically and one of the biggest threats is the reduction in their food supply. Recent research from Germany reveals that insect numbers have fallen by 75% in the last 25 years and this study was carried out on a number of nature reserves which you would have expected to be able to maintain their insect population.
The latest thinking is that the pesticide neonicotinoids is a key culprit in killing our bees and insects and it is good to see that the Government has recognised this threat and is now backing the proposed EU wide ban on these pesticides. The film, The Messenger, shown in Aldeburgh cinema back in December, highlighted this as a global problem and if you didn’t get a chance to see the film, then do make a point of doing so. Unfortunately this is just one more threat to our wildlife so make a diary note to sow some wildflower seeds in the spring – you may not own a meadow but no flower pot is too small!
aldeburghsamazingswifts.co.uk
Aldeburgh Times – November 2017
Aldeburgh Times article August 2017
Swifts, Swallows and House Martins are all summer visitors to Aldeburgh but the Swifts are the last to arrive, usually at the beginning of May, and the first to leave.
By the time you read this article, summer will be well underway but soon our Swifts will be packing their bags for an amazing journey south.
In early August, Aldeburgh’s Swifts will be getting ready to start the long migration to their warmer winter homes in Africa, a journey not without its perils. That said, summer in Suffolk can have its challenges as our photo shows. This one year old, seen resting rather uncomfortably in a shoe box, was brought down in the storms at the beginning of June (successfully released!) and the downpours we had on 10th July may well have taken their toll too. Unlike other birds, Swifts don’t land so they can’t shelter from the wind and rain.
Swifts usually raise two or three chicks, which take six to seven weeks to fully fledge. The young birds literally do press ups in their nest using their wings and tails to get their strength up ready to fly, as once the birds leave their nest they may not land again for the next three years. During that time they are likely to fly over 14,000 miles a year.
The winter migration route will take them down through Western Europe, into North Africa and then on to central Africa and the Congo. Here they will live until the long flight back to their breeding grounds at the beginning of May, returning each year to the same nest, providing the holes they use haven’t been filled by winter roofing work. Please bear this in mind if you are proposing to re-roof your house soon!
Bon voyage!
Aldeburgh Gazette article 14th July 2017
Our Swifts, which arrive in May and leave in August, are under threat due to the work we carry out to our homes which blocks up their nesting holes. This is a particular problem for Swifts as they return to the same nest every year and we are hoping to raise local awareness of this problem.
My wife and I launched our ‘Help save Aldeburgh’s Amazing Swifts’ campaign at the end of May to support other Suffolk based campaigns, but at a local level. Little did we know that we would be carrying out our first Swift rescue two weeks later following the storms on 6th June. See the story on the Latest News page of our website aldeburghsamazingswifts.co.uk.
To help raise awareness of our cause, we hope you will have seen our flags around the town flying in the summer wind – a big thank you to all our flag flyers!
So what can be done to help our summer visitors enjoy their all too brief visit to Aldeburgh? Firstly, if you are doing some refurbishment works, ask your builder to leave a nesting hole in your roof, particularly if you think you might have an existing nest site. If you are undertaking a new build project please look into installing a Swift brick. Local builders, please help us in this regard!
Secondly, you can put up a nesting box. Ideally these should be on a north facing wall at least 5 metres high. But this is not essential – check out the helpful information on installing nest boxes and Swift bricks on the swift-conservation.org website. And the good news is that Swifts don’t make a mess so you will be very happy to have them as tenants!
Thirdly, please get in touch with us if you know you have a swift nesting in your house so that we can build up a picture of existing nest sites around the town. Or, if you would like advice on putting up a nesting box, give us a call.
And finally, visit our pop-up stall in the High Street (outside Deben Willow Care) on Saturday 15th and 22nd July to look at sample nest boxes or just to learn a bit more about our Swifts.
In the meantime check out our website aldeburghsamazingswifts.co.uk or for a lot more information about swift conservation in Suffolk generally, visit actionforswifts.blogspot.com or suffolkwildlifetrust.org