Common Swift, Apus apus, nest box scheme 2008

[arisaema]

A man. Probe as much as you'd like, but you'll have to PM for the answer, I've become rather fond of my relative internet anonymity

That bird is a breeder, you could hear the chicks "peep-peep" when it entered. They usually arrive during the second part of May, but by then the barn swallows have been here for a couple of weeks, and they make such a racket that I've never noticed any screaming parties. The attic is panelled so there's no way for them to get in, but with 26m/85ft of those old tiles they have plenty of space. There may very well be more than 6 nests, those on the vestibule roof are just easily spotted as it's only a story high and right next to my cold frames.

[Maggi Young]

A man. Probe as much as you'd like, but you'll have to PM for the answer, I've become rather fond of my relative internet anonymity

Hmm.... there may be some truth in this.....some frisson of secrecy to be behind a pseudonym.......I may suddenly become "Mata Hari".... don't tell anyone

[annew]

When my children were little we used to have screaming parties annually....

[Maggi Young]

When my children were little we used to have screaming parties annually....

Huh! Go to eat Christmas lunch with my in-laws, those still are screaming parties... and I am not not meaning the children!

No swifts here, but sparrows have made a nice home, by the looks of things,under the flashings of my neighbours dormer window!

[arisaema]

(Slightly OT) update on the barn swallow chicks:

[Paul T]

Very cute!!

[mark smyth]

here are two of my swift chicks and a practice nest built by two non breeders

[mark smyth]

Have you noticed the two pieces of plastic? One blue and one white?

[Paul T]

Yes, I noticed the blue plastic... and the lovely green price tag too!! 

Seriously though, the two chicks are very cool.  Fascinating to see the practice nest as well.  I grew up with budgerigar aviaries on our farm, so it brings back memories of opening nesting boxes to check on the fledglings etc, and of course the brand new "just hatched" babies in all their beautiful ugliness!!

Thanks for the pics.  Looking forward to more.

[mark smyth]

Here's a terrible blow for the swift population in Belgium

I just recieved this message from a Dutch forum that I think everyone should know about.

At the weekend a huge colony of Swifts in the Antwerp harbour was destroyed. The colony consisted approximately 150 occupied nests. The building was detroyed by a demolition contractor. The person who posted the message on a Belgian forum managed to stop the work as soon as he arrived. 101 dead birds, young and some adults, were recovered from the debris. 81 surviving birds were found. The demolition work continued 20 minutes after it'd been stopped.

The pictures say more than I can. I'm shaking behind my computer sad and very angry...

[Luc Gilgemyn]

 

[mark smyth]

I have email addresses for councillors, that I will post later, for people to write complaints to

[mark smyth]

stadstoezicht@stad.antwerpen.be city supervision
college@stad.antwerpen.be city counsil
patrick.janssens@stad.antwerpen.be Antwerp mayor

[Anthony Darby]

I have fired off an email to Patrick. I am very sad at this destruction of a swift colony at the height of the breeding season. They should be ashamed of themselves. It is an absolute disgrace! 

[mark smyth]

Thanks