Swifts-in-South-Brent initiative meeting

Friday 19 January 2024: Swifts-in-South-Brent initiative: Meeting on the initiative to install nest boxes for Swifts in South Brent at 2pm in the Hub at the at the Old School Community Centre.

Having flown at speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, on an amazing 3,400-mile journey from Africa, these beautiful birds arrive home in South Brent each Spring. However, swift numbers are dwindling (down nationally 60% since 1995) partly due to loss of nesting sites.

There are exciting plans afoot (a-wing!?) to help our local Swift population. SSB volunteers and Young Adult Ambassadors, working alongside: Brent Birders; Devon Birds’ nest-boxes in churches initiatives; Dawlish Swifts and others, are working on an initiative to improve the situation, seeking available local knowledge, identifying sites, adding them to the RSPB’s Swift Mapper, building nest boxes (Dartside Explorer Scouts); distributing boxes to approved sites, installing boxes and spreading the word.

– If you would like to attend this meeting, please email Hayden on yaa@ssb.org.uk, so that you are expected.

If you know of any current, abandoned or potential Swift nesting sites, or would like to see a Swift nest box on your house or outbuilding please email Hayden on yaa@ssb.org.uk. FFI see: https://ssb.org.uk/helping-our-swifts-to-soar/.

There will be a related talk by TV naturalist, ecologist, artist and speaker, John Walters in the Village Hall on 14 March