See the main page for notes, photos, and diaries for other years.
You can view live video here from some of the nestboxes (not guaranteed always online, but I try
to keep it running).
Now offline for 2024 season as the birds have left.
Here is a page with some explanation of how I do the video.
The numbered nestboxes can be seen on this photo, and the entrances to the internal boxes on the gable end in this photo.
| Year | Nest | Adult1 | Adult2 | Egg1 | Egg2 | Egg3 | Hatch | Fledge1 | Fledge2 | Fledge3 | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | #1 | May-7 | May-12 | Some visits but no nesting. | |||||||
| 2024 | #2 | ? | ? | May-23/24 | May-26 | - | Jun-13 | Jul-15 | x | - | One chick died. The other left 10 days earlier than expected. |
| 2024 | #3 | ? | ? | ≤May-23 | May-24/25 | May-26/27 | Jun-14 | Jul-23/25 | Jul-28/29 | - | One egg didn't hatch. |
| 2024 | #4 | Some visits but no nesting. | |||||||||
| 2024 | #g1 | ≤May-20 | ≤May-20 | ≤May-22 | May-23/25? | ? | Jun-11 | Jul-22/23 | Jul-24/25 | - | |
| 2024 | #g2 | ? | ? | May-26/27 | May-29/30 | - | Jun-17/18 | Jul-28/29 | Jul-28/29 | *Aug-1/2 | *A 3rd 'rescue' chick added on Jul-11. |
| 2024 | #g3 | ? | ? | ≤May-16 | ≤May-18 | ≤May-20 | Jun-7 | Jul-17/19 | Jul-19/21 | Jul-25/26 | 4 eggs, one didn't hatch. |
| 2024 | #g4 | ≤Jun-8 | ≤Jun-8 | No eggs. | |||||||
| 2024 | #g5 | ? | ? | May-29/30 | May-31/Jun-1 | - | x | Eggs removed. | |||
| 2024 | #g6 | ≤Jun-8 | ≤Jun-8 | Jun-8/10 | Jun-11 | - | x | Eggs removed. | |||
| 2024 | #sb1 | ? | ? | ≤Jun-9 | Jun-10/11 | - | Jun-30 | Aug-9/10 | Aug-10/11 | - | |
| 2024 | #sb3 | ≤May-10 | ? | ≤Jun-7 | ? | - | x | Eggs removed/damaged. | |||
| Year | Nest | Adult1 | Adult2 | Egg1 | Egg2 | Egg3 | Hatch | Fledge1 | Fledge2 | Fledge3 | Comments |
Predicted dates above based on the average for previous nests with camera: last egg to hatching 19 days; hatching to first fledging 42 days.
2024-Aug-11 The remaining chick in nestbox #sb1 has fledged (sometime yesterday or today).
So that's the end of swift activity for 2024, unless any adults are still visiting in their unobtrusive way. 12 chicks known to have fledged, plus another one which I found in the garden and added to one of the nests. That's a very low number compared to recent years, probably the lowest ever, apart from the early years starting 2011 when the colony had only just started.
2024-Aug-10 One of the two chicks in nestbox #sb1 has fledged (sometime yesterday or today).
2024-Aug-9 The two chicks in 'starling' nestbox #sb1 are still there, due to fledge in the next day of two.
2024-Aug-2 The 3rd and last chick in nest #g2 has fledged, presumed to be the one added to the nest earlier. The two swift chicks in 'starling' box #sb1 are still there - not predicted to fledge for another 9 days.
2024-Jul-29 The 2nd (and last) chick in nest #3 has fledged. The two chicks in nest #g2 have fledged - there is still one chick there, assumed to be the 'rescue' chick added on 2024-Jul-11 since it was a bit smaller than the two which actually belonged here.
So just three swift chicks (that I know of) are still here: the one 'rescued' and added to nest #g2, and the two in 'starling' box #sb1. 10 chicks have already fledged - I can't say whether successfully, especially in the case of the one from nest #2 which left 10 days earlier than expected.
2024-Jul-26 The 3rd (and last) chick in nest #g3 has fledged.
2024-Jul-25 The 2nd (and last) chick in nest #g1 has fledged. One of the two chicks in nest #3 has fledged.
2024-Jul-23 One of the 2 chicks in nest #g1 has fledged.
2024-Jul-21 The 2nd of 3 chicks in nest #g3 has fledged.
2024-Jul-19 One of the 3 chicks in nest #g3 has fledged (it was predicted for today).
2024-Jul-15 Daytime visits to camera nestbox #4 by a single swift (I assume the same one) have continued. Today, it arrived soon after 08:00 and stayed for over 7 hours.
The fledgling swift added to nest #2 died, but the one added to #g2 (making 3 there) appears to be doing fine.
The single swift chick in nest #2 left, sometime between yesterday and today. That's 10 days earlier than I expected fledging, so I don't have great hopes for it - no way to know.
All chicks (8 in total) are still present in #g1, #g2, #g3.
2024-Jul-11 By the afternoon, there have been 3 visits by a swift to camera nestbox #4, one lasting over two hours, so looking quite promising, at least for next season.
First look in nestbox #3 for a while: two chicks developing well, and one unhatched (maybe damaged) egg.
I found a young swift on on the lawn in the back garden - too young to fly. It's not obvious where it could have come from - I thought maybe from nestbox #3, but (as above, with the unhatched egg) there are none missing from there, or from any other nest I can inspect. Maybe another chick from likely abandoned soffit-nest #w2r. I tried adding it to the single chick in #2, but it soon jumped out again, landing almost directly below. I'm now trying it with the two chicks in nest #g2 which are closest to it in age (by appearance).
And later: a young swift in the house upstairs. They can only get here from the loft space (the hatch is open) having come from a nest in the soffit. This one was better-developed than the one earlier today. Nest #w1r would make sense, but I haven't noted activity there this season. Anyway, I'm trying this one with the single chick in #2.
2024-Jul-10 At 11:36 this morning, there was a 15 minute visit by a swift to camera-nestbox #4.
First look in nest #2 for a while: one of the two chicks evidently died a while ago; the remaining one looks fine. The two chicks in #sb1 look fine. I'm don't think I'm seeing visits to soffit-nest #w2r any more, and this morning there was a dead young swift on the ground outside - given that it was in no state to have jumped out, did an adult swift remove it? All chicks (7 in total) in #g1 #g2 #g2 are looking fine.
2024-Jun-30 The two swift eggs in 'starling' box #sb1 have hatched.
2024-Jun-28 The eggs in #sb1 haven't yet hatched. I improvised a sun-shade for #sb1 and #sb3 during recent hot weather, but #sb3 now has no viable eggs, so I've removed that one again.
The visits to #1 and #4 haven't yet led to any more visits, and there is nothing in #g4, #g5, #g6. There is plenty activity in soffit-space #w2r, and audible calling of chicks from in the loft. No signs yety of anything in #w1r this season.
2024-Jun-26 At 07:42, a swift entered camera-nestbox #4 and stayed for 5 minutes - the first activity seen here this season. There was another visit of 5 minutes at 12:59.
I've just seen swifts enter nestbox #5 (which previous had a Great Tit nest), and 'starling' box #sb4.
2024-Jun-25 Yesterday, and again today, there have been swifts 'prospecting' for nest spaces - the first prospecting I've seen this season. There are at least 6 nest-spaces without occupants that I know of, so plenty opportunities. I've just seen a swift enter 'starling' box #sb2, though I could easily have missed this earlier.
At 12:12, a swift entered camera-nestbox #1 and stayed for 15 minutes - the first activity here for some time.
2024-Jun-23 The eggs in #g5 are consistently found out of the nest - I now assume being removed by same of different adult swifts. The damaged egg in #sb3 is out of the nest - I'm not going to replace it. An adult swift is sitting on the reminaing egg.
2024-Jun-20 The two eggs in #g5 still haven't hatched. There is an adult swift in #g6 - first observed activity, since earlier eggs were removed from the nest.
2024-Jun-19 The two eggs in #g2 have hatched. The two eggs in #g5 are due but haven't hatched yet. In #g3, all 3 chicks doing well despite one being smaller - a few days ago, the small one was out of the nest - I replaced it, but didn't have much hope for it.
Later: all 3 eventually fledged successfully. The evidence suggests something unusual happened in this nest: 4 eggs (though only 3 hatched) and one chick much smaller, fledging about a week after the first two.
2024-Jun-18 Only inspected #sb3, as not checked that nest since observing one egg 11 days ago: now 2 eggs and an adult sitting - one of the eggs slightly damaged. There have been no further visits to #1 since a swift briefly visited 7 days ago.
2024-Jun-16 The 2nd egg in nest #2 has hatched. The 3rd egg is still there in #g1, but I conclude that it isn't going to hatch. Still 2 eggs in #g2. I conclude that the 4th egg in #g3 isn't going to hatch, and one of the 3 chicks is much smaller than the other two. Still 2 eggs in #g5. The one remaining egg in #g6 is being systematically removed from the nest - I conclude it isn't going to hatch. Still 2 eggs in #sb1.
2024-Jun-14 The first egg in nest #3 has hatched. Still 1 chick and 1 egg in #2.
2024-Jun-13 The first egg in nest #2 has hatched. It looks like the 4th egg in #g3 isn't going to hatch. In #g6, one of the two eggs has been thrown out, and the other was out of the nest.
2024-Jun-12 A swift entered camera-nest #1 this morning at 08:45 and stayed for 3 minutes. This is the first activity here since May-24. The swift looked surprisingly 'at-home', if it was one which had never been in here before.
2024-Jun-11 In #g1, a chick has hatched on schedule, but there are still 2 eggs - I previously recorded clutch as having 2 eggs total, no not sure what's going on there. In #g3, there are now 3 chicks and one egg. There's a second egg in #g6. Two eggs in #sb1 - there were none 4 days ago. In #sb3, there was an adult sitting and one egg (possibly damaged?) out of the nest - I replaced it.
2024-Jun-10 There's a first egg in #g6, which must have been laid in the last two days.
2024-Jun-8 It's definitely a clutch of 4 in nest #g3 - now two chicks and two eggs. First observed activity this season in nests #g4 and #g6, with a pair of swifts in each. I just saw a swift make what was probably a successful approach-run to 'starling' box #sb1, which as of yesterday had no sign of swift activity - make just a small dead starling chick from their brood earlier in the season.
2024-Jun-7 There's a swift sitting in 'starling' nestbox #sb3, so I presume there are egg(s). Adult sitting with 2 eggs in #3 (one was out of the nest - replaced). Adult sitting with 2 eggs in #g1 (one was out of the nest - replaced). Adult sitting with 2 eggs in #g2. In #g3, an adult sitting with one newly hatched chick, and what appear to be 3 eggs (unless one just a shell?). Could it be the first clutch of 4 which I have observed - obviously laid about as early as possible in the season. Adult sitting with 2 eggs in #g5. There has been swift activity in soffit-space #w2r for some time, but I can't inspect this nest.
2024-Jun-1 There's a second swift egg in #g5. Still 2 eggs in #g2.
2024-May-30 There's a second swift egg in #g2, and a first egg in #g5. I still can't count the eggs in #g1, as there's a swift sitting on the nest.
It's now definite that the nest in #5 is a Great tit (Parus major) with 4 young, so I was wrong earlier thinking it was a House sparrow.
2024-May-27 A first egg in #g2, laid today or yesterday. Swifts sitting in #g1 and #g3, so I can't check on the eggs. In #3, 3 eggs (one was out of the nest - replaced). The Great tit nest in #5 has 4 recently hatched young and 2 eggs, so not displaced by swifts yet.
2024-May-26 A second egg in nest #2.
2024-May-25 One swift egg in nest #2, laid in the last 2 days. An adult swift sitting on at least one egg in #g1, and an adult sitting in #g3. Swifts seen entering nests #g4 and #g6 (I haven't watched much - probably going in others too).
2024-May-22 In the 6 gable-end nest-boxes: 1 egg in #g1; an adult sitting in #g3 (presumably on the 3 eggs).
2024-May-20 I just took a look in the 6 gable-end nest-boxes. A pair of swifts in #g1; 3 eggs (2 of them not in the nest cup - I replaced them) in #g3; nothing in the other 4 (maybe a bit of new nest material in one).
2024-May-19 There have been nights with no swifts in nestbox #1, but last night a single swift entered at around 21:00 and left this morning at 06:30. Still no activity in nestbox #4.
2024-May-12 A single swift entered nestbox #1 in the afternoon, and left again immediately - I suspect trying (unsuccessfully) to get another to follow it. 20 minutes later, two entered in quick succession and stayed for half an hour. Later just one entered - from its behaviour (looking around the box), I judge it to be the newcomer. Neither swift returned for the night.
2024-May-11 A swift visited nestbox #1 for about half and hour in early evening, and brought in a feather as nesting material, but again didn't return at nightfall.
2024-May-10 The single adult swift in camera nestbox #1 didn't return at night, after spending 3 nights in the nestbox. I heard a swift calling from inside 'starling' nestbox #sb3, and I am sure swifts are in some other the other (non-camera) nestboxes. Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) are still feeding young in nestbox #sb1.
2024-May-7 The first adult swift in a camera-nestbox this season arrived at nest #1 at 19:52 and stayed overnight. Last season, this nest ended up with a single parent swift, so one guesses that this is that bird, and it will need to find a new mate.
Nothing in camera-nestbox #4 yet, where both adult birds disappeared last year, so new occupants will probably be needed.
A House sparrow (Passer domesticus) was taking nest-material into swift nestbox #5 today. Later edit: by 2024-May-27, this was a Great tit (Parus major) nest with young, so I don't know whether I was mistaken about the House sparrow.
2024-May-6 Some swifts screamed by the house today. They've not yet been into the two camera-nestboxes, but I have turned on the online live video.
2024-Apr-30 Getting ready for a new season. No swifts sighted yet.
The two video cameras are not yet online for the 2024 season (link to live video above).
This is nestbox #1 in which swifts raised young for the first time in 2012.
In 2013 (with a camera in the box for the first time) they raised 3 chicks; 2 in 2014; 3 in 2015; 2 in 2016; 1 in 2017; 2 in 2018; 3 in 2019; 1 in 2020; 2 in 2021; 3 in 2022; and 2 in 2023. Swifts didn't nest here in 2024.
The dates of arrival of the first swift in this box were: 2013 May 6th evening; 2014 May 5th evening; 2015 May 5th evening; 2016 May 4th afternoon; 2017 May 6th midday; 2018 May 7th afternoon; 2019 May 7th afternoon; 2020 May 9th morning; 2021 May 7th afternoon; 2022 May 8th evening; 2023 May 7th morning; 2024 May 7th evening (but no nesting).
This is nestbox #4 in which swifts raised young for the first time in 2014 (with a camera in the box).
2 chicks were raised in 2014; 3 in 2015; 2 in 2016; 3 in 2017; 2 in 2018; 1 in 2019; 3 in 2020; 3 in 2021; 3 in 2022; none in 2023. Swifts didn't nest here in 2024.
The dates of arrival of the first swift in this box were: 2014 May 7th evening; 2015 May 4th evening; 2016 May 5th evening; 2017 May 5th evening; 2018 May 18th morning; 2019 May 15th afternoon; 2020 May 4th afternoon; 2021 May 9th evening; 2022 May 10th morning; 2023 May 7th afternoon; 2024 June 26th (but no nesting).