Swifts (the birds, not Taylor)

[MotherOfCatBoy]

Anyone seen any yet? I think I saw two this morning, circling high up, but I’m not an expert and they could be house martins. I can’t wait to see them, they are such a sign of Summer.
I’m in South Wales btw.

Definitely seen martins and swallows are around, although I haven't seen any myself.

I keep thinking I have heard a swift shriek but haven't seen any yet.

Its so depressing, we used to have 5 or 6 pairs nesting in the eves of our house and in our barn but the least few years it's only been one pair. The nest sites are still there, we haven't disturbed them at all, so numbers do seem to be declining.

There is a campaign to get the government to mandate putting swift bricks in new builds but it’s not getting anywhere. Follow writerhannahbt on Instagram for updates.

My swifts are back and in the two nest boxes at the front. Wonderful!

I'm afraid that the ones at the back and on the two storey shed don't seem to have been occupied for a couple of years.
They were the first ones we put up, so I suppose the older generation might have died out.
Here's hoping that the new young ones find them next year.

First swift today in central Scotland, one day later than last year.

I heard a cuckoo today shouting its absolute head off from the garden of a very posh property in S. Cornwall- they obviously have expensive tastes 😆. First one I've ever heard in Cornwall, although I do hear them a lot on Dartmoor.

That’s not a strategy everyone agrees with. Some experts say it would be counterproductive because they harbour bacteria and parasites which affect the next year’s occupants. Better for the birds to build new nests each year.
It’s like nestboxes - only a good idea if you disinfect them before each nesting season.