Common swifts 2009

[mark smyth]

Some new videos

[mark smyth]

The time for fledging is here and this 5 week old swift chick is doing press ups to strengthen its flight muscles. In a cramped nest site there is no room to flap like most young birds do.

[mark smyth]

My swifts have reared 12 chicks this year, in five nests, compared to 4 in 2008, in two nests, and 2 in 2007 in one nest

[Ragged Robin]

Mark, these videos of the Swift chicks exercising their wings are a wonderful insight into their early lives preparing to fly - thanks so much for showing them.... I thought at first there were only 2 chicks in the box then a third appeared from underneath the one doing the press-ups - sure is a cosy work-out, not too 'sweaty' I hope 


Congratulations on the success of so many raised this year! 

[mark smyth]

It's nearly over for another year. 8 of out 12 chicks have now fledged. Swift numbers are down. At lectures I'm always telling people they leave little or no mess - that's on the outside. Swifts keep a very clean nest but this pair had no sense of responsibilty

[Martin Baxendale]

Swifts keep a very clean nest but this pair had no sense of responsibilty

Didn't you take a deposit for wear and tear and damage, Mark?

[mark smyth]

Next year I will

[Maggi Young]

Swifts keep a very clean nest but this pair had no sense of responsibilty

Didn't you take a deposit for wear and tear and damage, Mark?

I thought Mark's complaint was that they'd left too much of a deposit? 

[mark smyth]

With a decline of 50% in Scotland and the SE of England, Breeding Bird Survey 2007, it's up to everyone who is interested in birds to help stop the decline of this fascinating bird.
All you need to do is create a small colony on your house. You really need to have a two storey house but a bungalow gable is high enough if there is a free access in and out.
Unfortunately due to the £/Euro exchange rate the best boxes, made by Schwegler in Germany, are too expensive. The cheapest boxes are those you make yourself or ask someone else to make. They will last longer if you use marine plywood. A marine ply box will cost under £10. If you have a local wood yard they will cut the wood to size for you. You should have two or three nests available

An ideal size is about 40cm x 16.6cm x 16.5cm 16x7x7 inches.

Ask your wood yard to cut the follow. The wood yard can cut longer lengths to allow you to make a three or four chambered nest box either in a line or two above the other
 
top and base 40x16.5cm
back 40x16.5cm
front 40x16.5cm
sides 14x17cm

This means the top and base stick out 1.5cm - the thickness of the wood. The front then sits very tight between the top and base and can be held in place with screws or hooks and eyes.

The front entrance for the birds needs to be no more than 33x65cm. The sides of the hole can be rounded to straight. Position it about 3cm up from the base and about the same from the side

If you want to add a camera drill a small hole to take the cable out

You then need a CD of swifts duetting to draw your swifts in.

I'll post some examples of home made boxes later

[Anthony Darby]

Brings back memories of rearing a young swift that my sister's friend's dog found. Its appetite increased 10 fold when it started exercising its wings. I don't remember the press-ups, but I do remember it frantically shuffling its closed wings. I ended up feeding it on 'Minced Morsals' as I could catch enough moths! It was my dad who saw it fly off - straight out of the kitchen door, through his legs and away. Gave the milkman a bit of a shock!

[mark smyth]

push ups