The screaming calls of swifts as they dart through the sky is as synonymous with summer as the call of the cuckoo is with the spring. They winter in Africa, but come to the UK in the summer to breed. Many evenings this summer, I have been strolling along a street in the town where I live, perhaps just to the local supermarket, and my attention has been drawn upward at the sound of them calling. And I crane my neck to watch them as they fly skillfully above and between rooftops.
I am very much fascinated by these birds, and others like them, that could fit easily into my hand but which, each year, make a journey the likes of which I will never know; facing adversities and challenges that I will never have to face. Life and death struggles.
If you would like to know more, you can take a look at the RSPB's info page here on the Common swift (Apus apus).
Making a space for swifts
The breeding season for this year has passed. And, alas, it has passed without my having had the opportunity to put up a nest box for swifts. However, there is always next year!
Unfortunately, the building in which I live - a block of flats - isn't really suitable for a swift nest box. But my parents' house is near perfect.
A swift's nest box is best situated on the wall of a building, at least 5 metres from the ground, without obstacles in the flight path. Just like house martins, they like to nest under the eaves and they swoop in to the nest in an upward trajectory, so a swift nest box has to be built to accommodate for this behaviour.
As I say, the block of flats in which I live isn't really ideal for a swift nest box. However, the north east face of my parents house is near perfect. The north east face will keep the box out of midday sun and prevailing wind and rain. And the box will be under the eaves of my parents house; it would be without this protection on the wall of my building.
Of course, I did ask my parents before making this decision.
Acquiring a box . . . for free!
I am next to hopeless when it comes to DIY and carpentry. Perhaps, one day, I will try harder and be able to build my very own nest boxes from materials I have sourced locally. I certainly suspect that that is the more environmentally friendly option. And, if you can build your own nest box for swifts, I would encourage that you do so (and tell us about it in the comments - I admire your skills greatly!).
With my bank account looking miserable and lacking in the skills to build from scratch, I turned to the internet. More specifically, I turned to freecycle.org, where users are able to leave posts, reaching out to people in their locality. These posts can request or offer items for free to anyone that wants them, the purpose of this network being to divert items that can be reused or recycled from landfills. And so, I posted to the network, looking for a swift nest box. And I got a reply!
So, I have found a nest box, unused and absolutely free, and now all I have to do is get a ladder and conquer the slight problem I have with heights by next summer. Easy!
If, like me, you don't know a saw from a screwdriver, and you haven't the luck I've had in sourcing a box for free, consider buying from the RSPB Shop or other wildlife charities that will put that money back into conservation efforts.
Swift bricks
Swifts nest in holes and, as already mentioned, will nest under the eaves of buildings. They like holes in old buildings. However, humans are just too neat and tidy and have a tendency to fill in holes and knock old things down so that they can erect something shiny, made of steel and glass. Unfortunately though, when we build, we tend to build our shiny and impressive creations to the exclusion of nature and wildlife.
I very much support including space for nature where we can when we plan and build our spaces, whether that's as individuals or in how we build the infrastructure that serves the wider human population. To conquer habitat loss and the problems of natural spaces becoming fragmented we need to build with nature and wildlife in mind.
As well as pushing for infrastructure to be built with nature in mind, we can make an effort as individuals. If you should find yourself building a new house or having major renovations, consider the use of "swift bricks" in the build. These are pretty much exactly what they sound to be; a swift nest space that is built into the face of the house. This should obviously be done by someone who knows what they are doing, and if you find yourself able to implement this option, again consider the placement of the bricks - a north east face at least 5 metres from the ground.
You can always recommend this option to friends or family too, should anyone you know ever have major work done on their homes. Or maybe even suggest it at work if they are going to do some renovations.
Colonies!
If you can afford it, and if you have the time and space, why not put up more than one box? More boxes may mean more swifts. If you have seen them fly overhead, you know they like company.
The more space we make for nature, the better.
Next year . . .
Hopefully, I'll be putting up a swift nest box under the eaves of my parents house. I don't know if they'll come straight away. I may be disappointed for a year or two. Maybe longer. But I would like to try.
Next year, I will be sitting in my parents garden, around April and May, in the evening, playing swift calls as I look up toward the sky and the nest box placed on the house face. I will be looking skyward with great anticipation, listening for the screaming call of swifts flying overhead. With great anticipation and hope.
I hope you enjoyed this piece, and if you did you can buy me a coffee on Ko-fi where I update frequently on my wild and writerly pursuits - all support keeps me writing and, for that, I am extremely grateful.
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