Following two successful project bids, one from Focus and one from Co-op, Woodcrete swift boxes have been installed on the Co-op building. Possibly the first Co-op in England to have swift boxes installed! Our local swifts will travel from Africa each year back to Church Stretton to breed. They are faithful to where they themselves were born. For the first three years juvenile swifts will return and look for a nesting site and a lifelong partner. In year four they will breed, taking up occupancy in their nest site over the summer, where they will raise their swiftlets. To attract them to the boxes on Co-op a solar powered call attraction system has been installed. Swifts nest in loose colonies so hearing swifts “calling” piques their interest and the juveniles may investigate the boxes. Once they realise no swift is inside the juveniles may occupy these boxes themselves, staking a claim on the site for the future. Swifts are faithful to their partner and their nest site and it would be wonderful to establish a breeding territory for swifts on the Co-op building.
Whilst installing the boxes Margaret Anne, aged six asked “what are you doing?” I replied “we’re trying to attract birds to the nest boxes” pointing up to the boxes. “What birds?” asked Margaret Anne. “Swifts” I replied. “Why?” she asked. “They’ve become very rare, do you know what rare means?” “Yes”, Margaret Anne replied, “I think it means limited edition”!
Thanks to Darren Hall, Will Priestley, and Graham Cowley for their help in assembling and installing the swift boxes and call system. Please keep an eye out on Co-op to see how things develop. Swifts are critically endangered in the UK and need all the help they can get. If you are interested in having a box installed or have swifts near you please contact Julie Cowley on 07580159183 or email Julie Cowley.
