Burton Swift Bird Study Group: Swift Updates for 2020 (Early Days)

Wednesday 29 April 2020

Swift Updates for 2020 (Early Days)

Unfortunately we are unable to organise Swift meetings this year because of the restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

May I suggest for anyone who wishes to report any records that they use the power of the media to let others know of their sightings. If you want to send reports through to me via email (bryan.yorke@sky.com) I will gladly include within the site.

My intentions are to have exercise by walking through the Village occasionally and to briefly stop off at the usual Swift sites to try and get a rough idea of what is going on and then to post it on this site for the results to go public to anyone who wishes to follow.

Hopefully we shall have more details to report over the coming days.......

Please keep safe and well

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Click here Worth checking out - watching thousands
of Swifts departing today on 28th June - going South
past the headlands at Filey.

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7th August 2020

2000hrs on 4 Swifts seen in the skies above Burton.

Also approx 1700hrs two Swifts flying over Clawthorpe Hall area presumed local.

0930hrs approx Been told by householder that they have again bred on both sides of his house in Riggs House in Cocking Yard.

0930hrs approx 25 Swifts over Burton In Kendal and presumed local by the regular chasing and screaming activity etc.

0900hrs approx 20 plus Swifts over Carnforth

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3rd August 2020
At least 30 Swifts at 0900hrs in the skies above both the Royal Hotel and the Manor House

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2nd August 2020

25 Swifts at 2030hrs in the skies above the Royal Hotel and Neddy Hill

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30th July 2020

2100hrs at least 25 Swifts in the skies above Cocking Yard, initially had equal 7 above Royal and 6 above Manor House, but on my way back home numbers had grown to 25 approx.

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Mid July 2020

Managed to see a bird entering a nest site to the left hand of the drain pipe on the front elevation.

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Thursday June 11th 2020

One going into the nest at Hangings Farm in Cocking Yard now confirmed, also another one going into a nest on the opposite side (thanks to Jane for these records)

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Tuesday June 2nd 2020

1000hrs: A bird seen leaving the roof eaves at the long established nest site on the Post Office Building.

Cottages next to Post Office
Click over to enlarge

Also showing the nest site one metre from LH side
on front of Royal Cottage

This shows the current nesting situation which we are aware of
Top left: One in small hole on rear of Royal annexe, and also one nesting on the small return of the annexe (both marked 2020). Also shows one nesting on the small extension to the back of the main building. Also shows the one on the front of the Royal Cottage about one metre from LH. And another on the small cottages at the side of the Post Office. 5 nest sites now confirmed.

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Monday June 1st 2020

11 Swifts in the sky between the Memorial Hall and the Royal Hotel, also another 3 seen around the Coaching House and Manor House.

Lots of banging going on tonight with several Swifts attempting to land at the gutter levels on the front of the Coaching House, just one bird actually entered a regular nest site which was about two metres from the LH side. A Jackdaw saw this banging going on and came and sat on the plastic guttering and has the Swifts attempted going into nest site the Jackdaw tried to reach down and catch them.

Lots more immatures banging on the soffitt areas of the No.1 property directly across from the Kings.
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Wednesday May 20th 2020
2015hrs

6 Swifts in the sky between the Kings and Neddy Hill and back towards the bowling green.

2 Swifts went into the far top left corner of the Royal side extension. Also another Swift went into the return on the back of the old cottage annexe, so that now brings the nest sites confirmed to 4 (all on the Royal buildings)

above shows the new recorded site tonight. The site was confirmed to be used also in 2013

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Tuesday May 12th 2020

Only 2 Swifts on show tonight at 2000hrs over
Royal/Neddy Hill and Memorial Hall

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Sunday May 10th 2020

5 Swifts over back of Memorial Hall at 2015hrs
Extremely cold air

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Saturday May 9th 2020

Updates after one week (May 2nd arrival):

We have 9 Swifts back on territory SO FAR!
We are aware of at least 3 established nest sites being used SO FAR!

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Friday May 8th 2020 (VE Day)

7 Swifts seen over Royal to Kings/Neddy Hill areas

And 2 Swifts entering nest site at the same time of the Royal Cottage rear annexe return

Shows todays record of nesting on return of annexe

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Thursday May 7th 2020

6 Swifts seen over Main Street, Royal Hotel areas at 2015hrs

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Wednesday May 6th 2020

9 Swifts seen over Memorial Hall to Royal (increase of 2)
Also one seen going into the small nest hole on the rear of the Royal Cottage annexe.

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Tuesday May 5th 2020

7 Swifts over area to back of Royal Hotel at 2015hrs. Up to 4 chasing and screaming.

5 Swifts seen over Orchard Close/Morewood/Burton Memorial at approx 1600hrs

***1 Swift seen entering a nest site *** on the front of the old Royal Cottage at approx 1100hrs (per.comms: Branwen Kilburn

3 Swifts seen over Cocking Yard and Royal at 0814hrs (per comms: Jane Phillips)

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Monday May 4th 2020

2 Swifts seen above the Royal to Kings area at 1100hrs

Swifts this morning reported to be piling in-off the area of Bridport.

Over 70 Swifts (0930 to 1030hrs this morning through Nailsworth, Cotswolds, Glos .......

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Sunday May 3rd 2020

3 Swifts seen over Cocking Yard at 1615hrs (per comms: Jane Phillips)

3 Swifts flying together overhead of Orchard Close/Glebe Close areas
at 1400hrs

43510 Swifts counted coming through Etang de Canet - Saint Nazaire (Pyrennes Orientales, 66) Southern France - count over 9 hours from 0630 to 1630hrs

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Saturday May 2nd 2020

Our first Burton Swift arrived back with us at 1600hrs and was seen high overhead of Orchard Close.

Also a Swift seen (probably the same one) at 1945hrs above Main Street and again later at 2005hrs at the bottom of Neddy Hill (per comms: Phil Mann)

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Thursday April 30th 2020

Had my first Swift of the year today at 1500hrs passing overhead to NW whilst going passed Travellers Choice Coaches near Carnforth

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This is the blog belonging to the Burton Swift Bird Study Group who are based in the small village of Burton In Kendal, Cumbria. The group try to meet up at least once a week during the time the Swifts are with us, usually we meet on Thursday or Friday evening at about one hour prior to dusk to observe and make notes on our beautiful Swifts, recording their nest sites, monitoring their numbers and making general notes on their behaviour etc. We also where possible try to help builders and planners with suggestions and ideas in relation to Swift boxes or Swift nest sites prior to building renovations or alterations or new builds.

We are a small group of about eight people and we would welcome anyone who has a interest in Swifts and their behaviour to come along and join us. There are no fees, there are no chiefs, we are just a very keen small informal group who love to watch and study our local Swifts. We usually meet at the Burton Memorial Hall and the times will be posted on this blogsite but If you want further information please don't hesitate to contact one of the following group members.)

Reg Hesketh - email: rhofb@outlook.com

Jane Phillips - email: Janephillips@john-lewis.com

Swifts have been vanishing from our Citys, towns and villages by incredible numbers and this is why we feel the urgent need to observe and report our findings.

We are also affiliated to "Swifts In The Community" which is based closeby in Milnthorpe, which is a organisation reaching out to both North Lancashire and South Cumbria. They gather information on Swifts and forward that information on to the National database who are collating Swift numbers in preparation for ongoing surveys. Also "Swifts In The Community" produce leaflets which are freely given to Planners, Builders and any interested individuals who need advice on Swift nestboxes etc. They also promote local meetings and general swift awareness at local functions.

Besides our group in Burton In Kendal, there are other local active groups in Arnside, Silverdale, Carnforth, Yealand, Warton, Grange, Kendal and Sedbergh, who all gather information for the "Swifts In The Community" database.

Beside these areas already mentioned, SITC are also looking for Swift information from other areas and would welcome any enquiries from interested parties. Click over the link to reach their website which has all the contact details etc.

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Burton In Kendal Swift Arrival/Depart Summary Dates

2021 - Our first 3 Swifts were seen at 1930hrs on Friday 7th May 2021 and flying over the Royal Hotel. Increased to 7 birds on 8th May.

2020 - Our first single Swift was seen flying high over Orchard Close at 1600hrs on Saturday 2nd May 2020, 3 birds appeared the following day Sun 3rd May 2020. 7 birds on 5th May. 9 birds on 6th May. Our last recorded dispersal was on 7th August when 4 Swifts were seen over Burton.

2019 - Our first Swift was seen flying high over the Memorial Hall at 2030hrs on Thursday 2nd May 2019. Up to 4 birds on 4th May 2019. Increased to 6 birds on 7th May 2019. Up to 12 birds on 12th May 2019. Up to 20 plus the following day 13th May 2019. DEPARTURE: We still had 40 Swifts around the village on Monday 29th July, this dropped to 35 by Wed the 31st, 30 by Fri the 2nd Aug, and still 20 by Sat and Sun the 3rd and 4th Aug, dropped to 10 by Mon 5th, and to 3 by Tues the 6th and the last count still showed 3 on Wednesday August 14th 2019

2018 - First four Swifts arrived and were recorded at 1930hrs on May 3rd. Increased to 8 birds by May 10th and a further 7 birds arrived on May 11th bringing the total so far to 15 birds (counted). The bulk of our birds (at least 30/40) left in the early daylight hours of Sat 28th July 2018, then we were down to 20 by the 31st, then down to 14 on the 1st, 11 by the 4th, and 5 birds by the 5th and down to our last pair on 6th August. The last pair and their family left us on Mon 20th August 2018.

2017 - First arrivals 1700hrs on May 5th (6 birds). Increased to 10 birds by 1900hrs on May 6th. Increased to 15 at 1200hrs on 7th May. 17 on 11th May. Our first main departure was on Sunday 6th August 2017 when a good proportion of the birds left us. This was followed by yet a further large exit (20 plus) on Friday 11th August and a further eight birds on Sunday 13th August and since that date a single bird was recorded still on territory on 17th August 2017.

2016 - First arrival 1645hrs on May 3rd (single bird), then numbers to 9 on May 4th, increased to 14 by May 5th. A delay of further arrivals until May 22nd when at least 20 birds (total) were seen in the skies. 20 plus birds left us on 5th August, followed by another large departure on 15th and the final bird was seen entering a nest site on the Royal Cottage at 1900hrs on the 18th. It is presumed that this bird and the rest of the family left at sometime during the following day the 19th August 2016.

2015 - First arrivals May 4th - First departures (bulk left us on July 29th/30th), A further 10-12 birds left on Sat 8th August and the final nesting birds departure was recorded on 16th August 2015.

2014 - First arrivals May 5th and last seen August 8th (bulk gone by August 1st)

2013 - First arrivals May 5th and last birds seen August 8th (bulk gone by August 1st).

2012 - First Swift seen heading over Clawthorpe on May 1st - but village birds arrival not noted. Departure not recorded but was after July 27th when there were still 15 birds above Burton. I did see a gathering of no less than 50 birds over Morecambe Golf Club on 1st August 2012.

2011 - Five arrivals on May 8th - Departure somewhere around the 9th August 2011.

2010 - Swift arrival and departure not recorded