Apus apus (Common swift) - Diary 2012

My notes on the activity of swifts at my house in 2012...

See the main page for notes, photos, and diaries for other years.

2012 Swift diary...

2012-August-24 No sightings (or sound) of the young swift today. It appears to have left. I hope it flew successfully, and perhaps it will be back in a few years time. So, around 5 years after starting trying to attract them, the first young swift has left the (small!) colony. I'll write more when I get round to checking the insides of the boxes, and changing anything in preparation for 2013.

2012-August-23 More of the same: young swift looking out for most of the day, and occasionally flapping its wings. It was still there at 7.30pm, but I didn't look after that.

2012-August-22
This morning, I heard the noise of wing-flapping, and some 'thumps' from inside the box. The young swift was looking out of the hole later on. I haven't seen an adult swift for two days now, which doesn't necessarily mean they aren't visiting. In the evening, more wing-flapping exercises, and attentive following of nearby insects with the eyes. Perhaps sticking its head out a bit more, and I think I once saw it had one claw on the edge of the hole, but it was still here as it went dark. I took two photos, using flash this time - it seems that 'red-eye' can affect flash photos of swifts too!

2012-August-20 No signs of swifts in the nestbox so far today (10am), but I thought they'd gone a few days ago, only to spot one later.
10:30am: still here; must be a late-riser, this young swift, looking out of the hole hoping parent is out somewhere catching breakfast? At 2pm, I saw an adult swift enter - I was forewarned by the noise of air on wings, and looked up in time to see it fail to enter at the first attempt (perhaps the young one was blocking the hole?), circle round, and enter at the second attempt. I watched most of the time from 8 to 9pm, with the young one looking out of the hole, but didn't see an adult swift arrive.

2012-August-19 Still here. The young swift seemed to be looking out of the hole for most of the day, and I saw an adult swift enter at 8.04pm.

2012-August-18 Still here: young one looking out of the hole in the evening, attentively following the dragonflies which were flying around, probably in turn catching flying ants.

2012-August-17 No change: young swift still looking out of the hole, and an adult swift going in from time to time.

2012-August-16 The young swift is still looking out of the nestbox (anyone getting bored with reading this yet...?). At 3pm, I saw an adult enter.

2012-August-15 The young swift is still looking out of the nestbox. It's a few days since I saw two at the same time, but of course there still might be two or more. At 12.30pm (midday) an adult swift entered - 3rd attempt - I was watching the young one in binoculars, and each time heard the incredible sound of air over wings as the adult passed above me.

2012-August-14 Around 5pm, an adult swift flew across the garden - almost certainly having just exited the nestbox. Still at least one pale-faced young swift looking out of the nestbox hole. At 8.40pm, I heard a few 'screams' from the box - I expect that an adult swift just entered, but I didn't see it.

2012-August-13 Still at least one (presumably young) swift looking out of the nestbox hole from time to time. At 7.20pm, I was lucky to see an adult swift fly across the garden away from the nestbox, circle round, and make a perfect entry.

2012-August-12
There is still at least one swift looking out of the hole in the nestbox this morning (see better photo). At 7.10pm, I saw a swift enter the box - first one I've seen for 2 days, but it's probably just me not noticing. I can now stop worrying that the young might have been abandoned before being ready to fly.

2012-August-11 This morning two swifts looking out of the nestbox. I must try to get a better photo... But I didn't see them again today, and saw no activity from swifts in the evening.

2012-August-10
In the morning, a swift was looking out of the nestbox (see photo). Is it a young one, or one of the adults - I've seen the adults look out for a while before flying sometimes. I wasn't around for most of the day, but saw a swift enter at 8.35pm, and again at 8.45pm.

2012-August-9 I saw a swift enter the nestbox at 3.20pm. In the evening, one left at 8.30pm, and entered at 8.55pm - both times I only noticed because the sound of air on wings prompted me to look up.

2012-August-8 A swift entered the nestbox at 8.55am, and again at 10.25am. A few 'screams' prompted me to look at 12.05pm (mid-day) and a swift left the box. At 1.10pm two swifts left the box one after the other - the first time I've seen two birds at the same time for a while. The great question remains: are there young ones in there?

2012-August-7 No further sightings of the 'soffit pair', which I'll assume have left, unless mentioned again. But at 11.20am, a swift exited the nest-box, so at least one bird still here. Again, one leaving in the afternoon. I'd rather see them entering than leaving, then I'd know they were definitely still here, but it's better than nothing.

2012-August-6 Last night, some items had been disturbed on an upstairs windowsill - I immediately thought that a bird had probably been inside, but there was no sign of it, so it had probably found its way out again. But this morning, there was a swift clinging onto the curtains. As with the last time this happened, there was no fuss, no noise, and I was able to pick it up and release it out the window - it flew off unharmed. The tops of the windows, tilted open, must look attractive to swifts. I wonder how many get into places which they then can't get out of again? The pair in the soffit were in their space this morning, and I saw them both leave. There was also a prospecting bird looking at nestboxes (perhaps the one that had been in the house, back for another attempt?). At 8.53pm I was lucky to hear the rush of air as a swift flew over the garden and entered the nestbox. I've not heard any 'chirping' from the 'soffit pair' this evening, so my guess is that they're not there - probably gone until next season.

2012-August-5 The 'new' pair of swifts were still chirping from their space in the soffit this morning, and I saw one of the 'old' pair enter the nestbox in the middle of the afternoon. I think my ears have become attuned to swift sounds - at 7.50pm, I was out in the garden, heard the rush of air past wings, and looked up just in time to see a swift enter the nestbox. A bit later, the 'soffit' pair were chirping from their space. So they are all still here, as we progress further into August.

2012-August-4 Only evidence of swifts today was some chirping and scratching noises from the space in soffit at 9.20pm in the evening. This pair are certainly being persistent with their new space, less than 4 weeks since they found it, and little chance of any other birds finding it this late in the season. I've finally done a page for the tame young starling which has now been visiting for around 10 weeks. Perhaps next the tame young blackbirds...

2012-August-3 Swifts seen going in and out of both nest-spaces in the morning. Just as I was thinking it was getting late for swifts in the evening, 8.45pm, a bird entered the nestbox, then the pair attempted to enter the hole in the soffit, so close together that I think the first one was still in the way when the second arrived, so it couldn't get in. As it dropped away to circle round again, a bird exited the nestbox and joined it in a 'flying demonstration'. The bird entered the soffit shortly afterwards. I didn't see anything else at the nestbox, so can't say what birds might be in there. A good day for birds in general - two young blackbirds are coming to me for food, and the tame young starling appeared again after nearly two weeks' absence - wary to start with, but soon took food from my hand.

2012-August-2 Just before 9am, a swift was prospecting - I thought I'd seen the last of that for this year. It still preferred to check out the eaves of the house rather than the obvious (to me!) holes to the nestboxes, but still, my first pair managed to find a nestbox hole last year. The persistent prospector continued occasionally for the next couple of hours - it makes me think what an energy intensive business this is - a very brief look without landing at a possible place, then falling away and flying a large circle to come back for another look. Birds were still in and out of both nest-spaces in the evening.

2012-August-1 This morning, the pair of swifts entered their nestbox seconds apart, then left separately some minutes later. In 2011, my last sighting of birds entering the nestbox was July 31st, so we're now a day later. All four swifts entered for the night before 9pm (of course I can't guarantee that they didn't go out again...).

2012-July-31 Again, I didn't spot any activity during the main part of the day, but a swift entered the nestbox at 6.45pm, and again at 7.40pm. I'd only looked outside for a few seconds when the second of these happened, and there's no accompanying 'screaming', so one might imagine how much activity I miss. There were still a few screaming swifts around - more often than not, it's a party of three which seem to scream by here. A swift entered the hole in the soffit at 9.10pm, and from the calling immediately afterwards, I imagine its mate was already in there.

2012-July-30 The swifts are still here. I didn't see any activity at all until evening (of course I might miss seeing them), but I saw a bird leave and later enter the nestbox around 8.45pm, and around 9pm I could hear calls from where the other pair are in the soffit.

2012-July-29 A lot less activity so far today. No prospecting swifts. Saw one bird leave the hole in the soffit (see photo on the main page, but that's all by about mid-day. I was thinking that maybe the birds had gone for another year, but one of the original pair left the nestbox at 8.35pm, and returned later, and the 'new' pair in the soffit both entered their hole around 9pm.

2012-July-28 More prospecting in the morning by swifts, and one entered another of the new holes in the soffit, staying for a few minutes and exiting by a different hole - so at least there must be a bit of space in there. The birds were also inspecting the soffit in places where there aren't any holes (watching prospecting swifts is frustrating!), and seriously inspecting the other nestboxes without landing. Both the usual pairs of swifts entered for the night round about 9pm.

2012-July-27 A spectacular morning of prospecting by swifts, which were approaching some of the unoccupied nestboxes and other spaces. As usually seems to happen, the birds largely disappeared in the afternoon. In contrast with recent evenings, there wasn't much of a performance from screaming swifts in the evening, but one of the 'newcomer' birds entered the hole in the soffit at 9.24pm, by which time it was very dark - this was after about 10 repeated 'attempts' if that's what they are - the approach must have to be very precise, otherwise there's no chance of clinging on to anything. Judging by calls, its mate was already in there, and at least one bird was in the previously occupied nestbox.

2012-July-24 No change in behaviour of the two pairs of swifts, and we're in the 3rd day of very hot weather, which I imagine suits them better than the incessant rain which preceded it. Today, one of the 'new' pair chose a less-than optimal flight path away from the hole, and failed to clear part of the adjacent house roof, landing on the floor in a corner, still holding a piece of straw in its beak. I thought it might need rescuing, but no - it took off from the ground with no problems, and cleared the garden fence (still with its piece of straw). I imagine maybe this was an attempt to enter which didn't quite work out (they don't always), as it seems less likely that they are removing straw from the nest-space.

2012-July-22 Things still continue as before. The pair of swifts in the 'new' nest-space in the soffit continue coming and going, and have entered for the night around 9pm on recent evenings. As for the occupied nestbox: I still ponder whether or not they have young in there. Every now and then, I'll see a swift enter or leave, but with so little fuss that I must usually miss them.

2012-July-14 Yet again, there was rain for most of last night and a good part of today. I wasn't watching what the swifts were doing until the evening, but one entered the 'new' nest-space in the soffit at 8.45pm, and one entered the occupied nestbox at 9.02pm. There were a few 'screaming parties' of up to 6 birds earlier on.

2012-July-10 The swifts in the nestbox continue coming and going, as do the new occupants in the hole in the soffit. It's about the same time of year as the pair first found the nestbox last year. It would be extremely late for the new pair to start a breeding attempt, with fledging around 9 weeks from egg-laying (though who knows with the strange weather), so perhaps (like the pair last year) they are going to do some preliminary nest-building for next year, and maybe they have to make the space appear 'occupied', so that other prospectors don't claim it as well.

2012-July-9 Well, just a day or two after making holes in the soffit at the top corners of the window, where the swifts were often investigating, a pair have taken up residence in one of the holes (the other one to where the bird entered for a while a couple of days ago). It's definitely a pair - I saw one enter after the other. I've not spotted them come or go since, but at least one bird has been there virtually all the time, as I can hear occasional calls, including overnight. I made a matching pair of holes in the soffit at either side of the other window.

2012-July-7 Yesterday, I took the hint from prospecting swifts which were repeatedly landing at the top-right corner of one of the windows. I took a look using the ladder, and found that there was a bit of a gap there - the window openings go right to the top of the house wall, with no bricks above. I didn't think that the gap was large enough for a swift, so I enlarged it, and also made another at top-left of the same window, where there wasn't an existing gap. This morning, there was already a swift in the new hole, with tail partly sticking out - it stayed for 5 or 10 minutes. What I'm not sure about is whether there's a decent nesting space accessible from the hole - I think there's enough space in the soffit, but just a case of whether they can get to it. The resident swifts in the nestbox are still active, and still lots of prospecting going on.

2012-July-3 At least the 'prospectors' are back - several landings on top one one of the nestboxes, right next to the speaker which is playing calls. Also one bird casting an eye at the top of a window which is tilted open. Come on birds - find the entrances - after all one pair managed it last year! I think I heard answering calls from the occupied nestbox, but difficult to tell when I'm playing calls at the same time.

2012-July-2 What a difference a day makes. Yesterday seemed a perfectly good day for birds, but I saw no propspecting swifts, and indeed saw no swifts at all until dusk, when there were a few in the sky as usual. One bird made such a low pass over the garden that I think it had just exited the nestbox. Today, it's raining, and again I've seen no swifts at all so far.

2012-June-30 The last few days have been very good for swifts 'prospecting' the area where the boxes are. Today, up to 8 at a time were flying by in every possible direction, occasionally briefly settling, though I didn't see any actually find a nestbox entrance. In a couple of days, it will be a year since I first noticed a pair of birds entering a box, though I'd missed them doing the 'prospecting' bit. There isn't as much activity at the occupied box as I'd expected, but then I don't really know what to expect. Saw one bird enter last night, but didn't see any today. Despite the lack of visual evidence, there were assorted noises from inside the nestbox as darkness fell, so I guess it's just that I only watch for a fraction of the time, and the resident birds can be so unobtrusive in their comings and goings.

2012-June-26 Finally, no activity seen today at the starling nest, so looks like the 2nd brood has fledged (at last). Still had several visits from the tame young starling from the first brood. Only saw a few comings and goings of swifts, but one or more were calling from inside the nestbox as it got dark, when others swifts passed by.

2012-June-25 Well whatever the pair of swifts are up to in the nestbox, they're still at it! Just seen both birds leave in quick succession, and both return some minutes later. Earlier on, they were responding to the screams of other birds - perhaps 'prospecting' and taking a passing interest in the next box along, though I haven't seen any investigating closely. Saw an adult starling with a young one in the garden, and of course don't know if it came from the nest near the swifts, but the young starlings there must fledge soon.

2012-June-21 I was beginning to think that I only had one swift in the box, and comings and goings seemed very infrequent. But at 6.30pm this evening, two entered just a few seconds apart. There was no opposition from the starlings either - the adults must have been away finding food, as the young still haven't fledged.

2012-June-17 A week since my last post. The comings and goings of swifts continue, though often so unobtrusively that I must fail to notice most times. It's been another week of very erratic weather. The starlings' 2nd brood still hasn't fledged - can't be long. I think I saw some prospecting swifts taking a passing interest in the other boxes, though haven't seen any attempts to enter them.

2012-June-10 Today, there was a stalk of grass partly hanging out through the entrance of the swift box - something they hadn't fully pulled inside, I guess. Saw one bird leave the box at 7.45pm, and both enter for the night at 9.12pm. By evening, it was starting to rain yet again, and has continued through the night and into the next day.

2012-June-9 A break from the rain and winds, but saw no swifts at all in the sky until early evening. One entered the nestbox at 9.18pm.

2012-June-8 The battering by rain and high winds continues. I saw a swift enter the box at 5.30pm - makes a change to see one other than at nightfall - more chance that something other than just roosting is going on?

2012-June-7 The weather is back to cool, rain, very changeable. I imagine not very good for swifts. It was a few days since I'd seen them enter the nestbox at all, but I wasn't always here to watch. I saw one bird enter at 8.20pm this evening, so they haven't lost interest completely. The starlings' 2nd brood is now well developed - lots of noise from their nest hole in the roof. It's apparently not common for starlings to raise a 2nd brood - perhaps another effect of this very strange weather. One young starling from the first brood has become very tame - it lands on me and probes fingers and sleeves hoping for mealworms, or indeed any other food! Great fun getting to know a wild bird so close up. See photos here.

2012-May-27 The hot weather continues. I didn't see any swifts at all during the day, but in the evening there were several 'screaming' parties. The two birds entered the nestbox at 9.06pm and 9.10pm respectively without being bothered by the starlings.

2012-May-26 Tonight, the starling 'defending' its nearby hole seemed to get the better of the swifts. One swift entered the nestbox, but the second one was chased by the starling when it attempted to enter. After a few minutes, the first bird left again. The whole sequence was repeated several times, by which time it was getting quite dark, so I don't think either swift stayed for the night.

2012-May-19 Nothing new to report, but the pair of swifts continue entering the box from time to time during the day, and for the night. It looks like the starlings are going to attempt a second brood, as they are still taking material into their nest-hole from time to time, but thankfully they can't do much about the swifts - if they notice a swift entering the box, then it's too late to do anything apart from fuss around for a while.

2012-May-12 I saw a swift enter the nestbox several times during the day, and it's now a pair - two entered about a minute apart, so unless the first one left and came back... Two swifts in for the night at 8.36pm after circling for a while, and making some 'passes' of the nestbox - after one of these, the starling chased them, but I imagine it couldn't keep up, and wasn't seen again. There are more groups of swifts around - I hope some of them investigate the other 4 nestboxes. The Great Tits fledged today - at least 4 good-looking youngsters, perhaps more.

2012-May-11 I didn't see the starlings bring any food to their nest today, so perhaps they've finally fledged. One adult starling is still hanging around, and trying to defend the area from swifts, but every evening I've managed to watch, I've definitely seen one swift enter the nestbox, just after which the starling would cling to the outside of the swift-box entrance, but so far apparently kept out by the 30mm entrance.

2012-May-8 At least one young starling is peering out of their nest-hole - will they fledge tomorrow? One parent starling seemed to be keeping as attentive a watch for swifts as I was, even though they're not competing for the same space. At 8.30pm a swift attempted to enter the usual nestbox, but the starling (perched on the gutter above) attacked it, and both ended up on the ground in the garden. Once the tussle was over, the swift didn't have any difficulty taking off again from the ground. A little later, the starling seemed finally to have retired to its nest for the night, and at 8.47pm the swift (I assume the same one) made a couple of passes (perhaps to check that the coast was clear) then entered the box unmolested. I wonder if I'm antagonising the starlings by playing swift-calls?

2012-May-5 A swift entered the same box as last year (far left in the picture on the main page) at 5.55pm. A very confident entrance - straight in there at high speed. I was lucky to see it at all, and indeed although it's the first I've seen, it's unlikely to be the actual first time this year, as they're so unobtrusive - silent and high speed. The nearby starlings haven't fledged yet.

2012-April-30 First swifts of the 2012 season spotted nearby, though not anywhere near the nestboxes. Starlings are raising a family in the soffit fairly close to the left-most nestbox - I expect they will fledge soon, but it will be interesting to see whether there is any interaction with swifts, assuming some arrive.