On behalf of our Crediton Swifts project I had a busy winter period during which I gave my 'Amazing Swifts' talk to audiences in Morchard Bishop, Exeter, Tiverton and Cadeleigh - over 200 people in total. I've also made some very useful contacts with other Swift groups around the county.
The majority of our Swifts returned in the first week of May, just in time for Edward Mayer's informative and entertaining talk which started our own 'Swift season'. After their long migration and winter stay in southern
Africa, they are now being seen regularly over the Square and other parts of town.
First to arrive were the birds that have bred before, followed a couple of weeks later by birds that prospected for a nest site last year and are ready to breed for the first time this year. By mid-June the final cohort of last year's juveniles had returned. They won't show any interest in looking for nest sites, but will simply enjoy their freedom - joining the evening screaming parties whizzing over the rooftops before 'towering' up to 3000 metres to sleep on the wing!
By the end of June the breeding pairs should have hatched their eggs and be busy feeding young, which means more frequent journeys to and from the nest sites. On any single foray an adult may bring back up to 1000 small insects and spiders stored in its throat pouch: male and female may each repeat this five to ten times a day. So depending on weather conditions, that could mean as many as 20,000 food items a day per nest! Comparing this summer with 2023 and 2024, my feeling is that numbers of birds in the town are overall about the same - certainly no significant decrease anyway. I've successfully added to the number of traditional nest sites we know of in buildings around the town. It's also great to hear that least one site with Swift nestboxes installed and attraction calls played for several years now has new tenants! Homeowners are also coming to me regularly for advice and information on nestboxes and call systems and the number of new boxes being provided across town is steadily increasing. I have also found a local steeplejack with lots of experience working at height who is willing to carry out box installations for a modest fee. 

If you know of any nest sites in your street or would like more information on any of the above feel free to email me at creditonswifts@gmail.com.

July and August are when this year's young will take their maiden flights and although the vast majority have no issues, the few that crash-land on the ground are immediately very vulnerable to dehydration and predation. Do not try to throw the bird up back into the air. For immediate first aid advice and the details of the local Swift Carer Leila Goss go to this link. 

Finally, to tie in with the annual national Swift Awareness Week I will be offering an informal 'Swifts in the Square' drop-in event on Thursday 3  July between 8.00pm until around 9.30pm.

This isn't a formal walk or talk, simply an opportunity to come and watch for Swifts overhead in Town Square for a few minutes and ask me any questions you may have. Come and find me in the centre of the Square. I'll have free Swift booklets and leaflets for everyone who drops in. 

Edward Jackson