Swifts diary
The colony of swifts that nests in the Museum tower has been the subject of a research study since May 1947. It is one of the longest continuous studies of a single bird species in the world, and has contributed much to our knowledge of the swift.
6 May 2024
They're back! The first swift was seen flying past the tower on 30th April and the next day several were back for May Day morning with the warm southerly breeze. Our first survey on 6th May revealed that these first arrivals weren't wasting time, with several nestboxes showing signs of occupancy. One adult pair was on the nest and another single adult had obligingly occupied one of our boxes with a camera that streams live to our website.
13 May 2024
They warm weather of the last week has seen swifts returning in larger numbers and creaming parties of up to 14 birds have been whizzing past the tower and filling the skies overhead with their cries. More boxes are showing signs that they have been visited and another pair and another two single birds were observed on their nests. Last week's pair have been busy and we have our first egg!
PREVIOUS YEARS
The average numbers of young swifts ringed each year over the last 50 years are:
1963–72: 36.7
1973–82: 70.4
1983–92: 100.0
1993–2002: 99.2
2003–12: 81.1
