Swifts investigating nest boxes
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- Norfolk, England. Its mid-evening in late June. Young swifts returning from their African migration are attracted by the mp3 system playing swift calls and start to investigate the recently erected nest boxes in preparation for next year. Its looking promising.
It took four years of eyeing my boxes up before the Swifts nested . On the fifth year they nested in 2018 and came back also last year in 2019. I'm expecting them very soon and will be really happy to see them again if they return .
I've got three boxes but will put some more up at start of winter for next year .
I would like hundreds of them really eventually . The birds are very important in my life .
Thanks for your comments Robert. Keep up the good work and good luck.
I have same goal 😁
jeżyki wow uwielbiam ich dzwięk
Did these sounds actually attract the swifts as I am hoping to use the video to attract birds to my recently installed swift box.
Best of luck , 5 years I've played sounds beside my swift box n still no nesting birds
Hi fistral64. In truth I dont know if playing the calls helped to attract swifts to my boxes but others more learned than I in these matters say it helps quite a bit. I had played the calls in previous years with limited success in attracting them but the pair now using our box came in when I hadnt been playing the calls. My advice is to play the calls. Action for Swifts can supply the mp3 files at very reasonable cost.
The sound had to come from inside the nesting can, not from the side. And if there are already pairs in the yard, you don't have to play the recording anymore, because the old couples invite more birds themselves.
In general, young people have local birds as guides and if they are missing, then finding nests is difficult, especially if the speaker is in the wrong place and the sound is the wrong kind.
I have another bird box in the garden, for small birds. Can I install a swift box, or would that create issues mixing two different king of bird boxes in the same garden?
Swifts are not generally bothered by other birds (unless its a peregrine falcon) and, being insect eaters they do not bother other birds either so will happily nest with others birds around. In fact swifts like to nest in 'colonies' so yo can put up two or three if you can and this will increase the chance of them attracting swifts. Under the eves of a house with a clear flight line is good. Lots of info and help on 'Action for Swifts' or 'Swift Conservation websites.
@@DaveGWIS great thanks, I have bird feeders, and a bird box for tit family of birds. Recently saw swifts flying above my house so got me thinking.
My garden wall faces west, so does get strong winds and some sun as well, based in London. One wall faces north but the line of sight is obstructed by the neighbours property, although there is a 5 meter gap.
Thanks for the websites, I will have a good look.
@@youknow6968 The west facing wall should be fine. A 5m gap on the north side makes it a bit difficult for the swifts to get to, but not impossible. These birds fly quite quickly (the fastest bird in level flight) so cant manoeuvre quite as well as some other birds. Good luck. These magnificent and impressive birds need all the help they can get. Thanks for considering putting up a nest box, or two.
@@youknow6968 ... by the way, I am currently live-streaming one of my swift nest boxes on UA-cam if you would like to take a look sometime. :)
@@DaveGWIS no, the thanks belongs to you, for being willing to provide such support.
Do these boxes need to be cleaned regularly?
Hi and thanks for your question. I clean my nest boxes (but never touch the nest itself) but it is not really necessary to do it every year. In fact many new houses are fitted with 'Swift Bricks' and these cannot be cleaned at all but swifts still use them. They dont make much of a mess of the nest and they clean up the faeces from the chicks. Hope this helps
@@DaveGWIS thank you, it does help. Installing it high should be possible, it's the thought of reaching back to clean will make it impossible.
👍👍👍
OMG , best sweftlet sound calling
I like
Lastly, I'm only able to install them around 3 metres high, is that sufficient, or better not to bother. Thanks.
I have seen swifts nest at about that height , but not in boxes, only under eaves. Do they have unobstructed flight out of box? Any obstruction will put them off.
Give it a try but could take a number of years.
@@davidjinks8295 yes, the path is clear, but it's just the back part of the house, no eaves.
I have decided against it, as it would require too much effort. I will need to get hold of a long ladder, also each time I needed to clean it, plus the back part points towards the west, winds and afternoon sun.
I have bird feeders, and an unsuccessful bird nest at a different location, so sticking with that for time being. Thanks.
Thank you
You are welcome :)
блин стрижи меня пугают будто в полете на крест демонюки похожи
Извините, что пугают вас, Екатерина. Они едят насекомых, а не людей. Я вижу только красоту. :)
хаха шучу не воспринимай шутку в серьез
@@КошечкаМяу-ь6б Хахаха, я не хотел говорить серьезно. С наилучшими пожеланиями из Англии
Are they very noisy. I live in a terraced house, not sure Ineighbours will approve if I put on swift boxes!!
Thanks for the question Adolf Galand. The short answer is the swifts are not at all noisy in the nest box. Quite quiet in fact. I can hear them when the adults come with food but that's because they are right next to my window, and even then I have to listen hard. Also, the young poo inside the box and the adults clear it up so they dont make a mess. All in all, they are no bother. Give it a go. They could do with some help. :)
The sound doesn't have to be big. Personally, I dare not listen to swifts sounds from the phone in the summer, not even on a small level, so that my own birds are not disturbed.
JOSS
Just fixed up a swifts nestbox but not having much luck with the weather up here in yorkshire, so not much swift activity at the minute.
did anything happen?
@@Natashahoneypot No but plenty of interest of swifts banging up against my boxes but not actually entering. I know there is a colony somewhere in my local area it has been like that for years so hopefully next spring will be my year. Google bristol swifts blog for 2019, very interesting read if you like swifts.
Your loops are very short. You won't fool a Swift with that!
Any updates David
Hi Firduos. Thanks for your interest. I am pleased to say that a pair of swifts nested on one of our boxes in 2020 and again in 2021. On both occasions they raised two young to fledging. I posted a few videos in the 'Swifts' playlist which you might like to see. Hoping they will come back in May again.
@@DaveGWIS that’s Wonderful
Keep working for the nature
You will have peaceful life
Thanks Firdous. Nature is important to me. I hope you have a peaceful life too.
@@DaveGWIS indeed my dear
Did they nest in 2018?
no. but they nearly did in 2019 ua-cam.com/video/a59pjz13k4A/v-deo.html
@@Natashahoneypot ... and did in 2020 - Yaaaay! ua-cam.com/video/rBj84E2OMbQ/v-deo.html (Sorry for missing this to reply earlier)
@@Natashahoneypot I've a pair that return every year and nest under the tiles above my kitchen (Flat) I only saw one fly in twice over the weekend. I think they've mostly left now already