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Thoughts on concave design
It is not unusual for eggs to move out of Swifts' nests. Sometimes an adult will deliberately pick up an egg and dump it outside the box. However, other times it seems to be accidental as some Swifts...
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A successful Polish Swift tower design
Although many Swift towers have been erected, few have more than a pair or 2 of Swifts. We were therefore impressed by this design, the "Jerzykowniki” tower, which has been erected in 13 locations in...
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GRP Swift box installation
We earlier described (here) a new multiple Swift box made of GRP (Glass Reinforced Plastic). It exploits the boat-building skills of Len Haworth, and has advantages of light weight, water resistance,...
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Internal boxes with cement board
This project at Bob & Elaine Humphrey's house in Landbeach, Cambridge gave the opportunity to try something new - nest-boxes made out of cement board. by Bill Murrells and Dick NewellMost retrofit...
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5th International Swift Conference - Tel Aviv 11th - 15th March 2018
Following the 4 successful Swift Conferences in Berlin (2010 and 2012), Cambridge (2014), Szczecin (2016), the 5th conference will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, 11th-15th March 2018As well as conference...
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A low situation
We were asked whether a garage in Ely, barely 3.5 metres high, would be suitable for Swift boxes, so we decided to give it a go. It is only by trying these things will we ever find out whether it is...
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2018 UK Swift Awareness Week, 16-23 June
One for your summer diary: the new national ‘2018 UK Swift Awareness Week’, 16 - 23 June 2018As we count the days until our wonderful Swifts are back in our skies again, we’re delighted to let you know...
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Please support a worthwhile project
Yusuph Emmanuel (© Martine Wauters)Action for Swifts is supporting a project to enable a talented young Tanzanian, Yusuph Emmanuel, to travel to the International Swift Conference in Tel Aviv in...
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Cambridge System in a timber frame gable
In 2017 we were alerted to a situation in Isleham where a garage was about to be demolished while there was still a pair of Swifts feeding a chick in the roof. Confronted with a large steel ball, we...
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Internal boxes in a wooden garage gable
This was a situation requiring custom internal boxes, because of the internal timberwork. Apart from this, the project was straightforward.The north-facing gable of this South Cambs garage is just over...
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Swift boxes in a rendered cavity wall
In a rendered wall, one cannot see the brick structure, so doing a neat job, as in the Cambridge System, is not an option.Christina Day had 9 Swift boxes in the gable of her house in Haverhill (see...
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Successful Project with a Derbyshire school and housing agency
This is a good story in the year of Swift Awareness Weekby Nick BrownLast autumn a meeting was arranged by the Derbyshire Swift Conservation Project with Rykneld Homes with additional support from...
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The boys are back in town!
John Day was inspired today when the first Swifts showed up in Potton - on schedule on 7th May. So he decided to parody Thin LIzzy's song, "the boys are back in town" with the following lyrics:"Guess...
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Trumpington Meadows Nature Reserve
Trumpington Meadows is a spacious expanse of flowering meadows, riverside, woodland, hedgerow and parkland. According to their website:"... this expansive nature reserve and country park sits alongside...
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Lymington Business Centre. creating a Safe Environment for Swifts
Thank you to Nick Windibank and Andy Broadhurst of Hampshire Swifts for sending us this story.Lymington Business CentreLymington Business Centre occupies a building which was renovated in 1986 from its...
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Swift boxes under very broad open eaves
Margaret & Ian Hobson of Beer in Devon asked asked us what would go best under broad open eaves, nearly 50cm wide, with about 33cm between the joists.Beautiful view of the English ChannelClick to...
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Queen Anne Car Park Cambridge
We were asked by Guy Belcher of Cambridge City Council to dream up something for Queen Anne car park. It should be a good location, in central Cambridge, overlooking Parkers Piece. The location is...
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Swift boxes in an 18th century brick wall
Helen Copperthwaite of Millgate, Aylsham, Norfolk lives in an 18th century maltings, with walls 1.5 bricks thick. (~350mm). At least that's what we thought when we started. She was keen to have Swifts...
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West Cumbria Swift Group
In this story the actions of the councillor illustrate how making good the harm caused by unthinking development is almost only achieved through the actions of interested private persons. No...
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Simple open eaves design
In 2012, I installed 6 under eaves boxes on the back of my son's house described here.On the side of the house, I also boxed in the eaves in a very simple way. He has not lived there for 6 years, so I...
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