Burton Swifts - 23rd July 2021 and week

 

It was pretty quiet generally, with only 3 Swifts in a single group over the Royal areas, and the odd one or so over the Manor House areas.  I am of the suspicion the birds will be on top of Hutton Roof Common, like they have been most mornings when I have been up. 

We witnessed birds going into nest sites on the gable of the Manor House with one using the nest site to the LH of the gable, whilst another was seen entering the nest site 3/4 way up on the RH side of the gable.

Observers tonight was Mary and Bryan. 

Our next Swift Meeting is next Friday 30th July 2021 at 8pm at the Burton Memorial Hall (everyone welcome). 

Burton Swifts - 16th July 2021 and week

Total nest sites so far this year is now 20

Wednesday 20th July 2021 

Checked out Ducketts offices at Clawthorpe. The sky was full of Martins churping away and lots of Swallows and Swifts. I spoke with Ed who reckons there are about 8 Swifts on site. Whilst there he showed me where they were using and we where lucky enough to see a couple of birds entering their sites. Now marked off in above photos.

Friday 16th July 2021

We checked out the regular haunts starting with Cocking Yard.  Although we had only got a single nest site down for Hangings Farm, I spoke with a resident who always gives us a update on the Swifts and he was able to confirm that there was also another occupied nest site on the opposite side which is Ken's house and called The Twain Cottage and he says it nest about the middle of his property and that this particular site had been used in 2020 and also in 2019, so we will need to update our records with this new information.  Sadly birds are missing from the Riggs House this year (2 sites, 1 front and 1 rear).

Moving on and checking to the rear of the Cottage and no to nest activity was seen but at this point the aerial count had got up to 7 and a later return count from here got up to 20 birds.

A brief check on the front of the Royal Cottage never recorded any activity and so it was off to the Manor House and Coaching House.  Still no signs of birds using the Coaching House, but did get a bird go into the large hole to the right hand side of the gable end (the one that the Starling sometimes occupies). Whilst we were at the Manor we saw up to seven aerial birds.

Total nest sites recorded so far this year 16 (1 additional tonight with Twain Cottage

Tonights observers were Reg and Bryan.

Next weeks meeting should be showing lots of aerial activity because we are getting near the stage were young birds will be taking to the skies, and its around now we get our record counts. 

Our next Swift Meeting is next Friday 23rd July 2021 at 8pm at the Burton Memorial Hall (everyone welcome). 

Burton Swifts - Friday 9th July 2021 and week

 

Total so far this year 15 nest sites

Manor House gable end - new nest site and first time used (to our knowledge since 2014 

We managed to count at least ten in the sky with a small 3 or 4 in the area of the Manor House. We managed to see a bird entering the front of the old Royal Cottage, this one was to the front right hand side about 2ft away from were the Cottage joins into the main building.  This was another first of the year and tells us there are at least 3 nest sites on the front of the Cottage and another 4 of the back of the Cottage. We then moved on to see how things were at the Manor House/Coaching House. Still no results on the Coaching House, but we did OK on the Manor House. 

We was surprised to see a bird banging and also another leaving a new site on the LH side of the gable end of the Manor House, in fact it was a site which was used back in 2014 but we have not seen any using it until tonight. (see photo above). Also we saw two birds enter the same nest to the LH side of the Manor House front approx 1 metre from the LH corner. 

Tonights observers were: Branwen, Matthew and Bryan.

See full updates below: 

2021 so far we have four sites confirmed on the Manor House

2021 so far we have three sites confirmed on the front of the Royal Cottage

2021 - So far we have a full compliment of 4 nest sites eg: 3 on the back of the rear annexe and one on the return as seen above. 

2021 we have seen activity at this site so presume breeding - to the rear of the Royal Hotel main building. One nest site.

2021 - so far only one confirmed at Hangings Farm within Cocking Yard.
(one nest site)

So far we have one confirmed nest site on the Post Office Buildings.

Also we do have at least one pair confirmed from down at Ducketts although it is thought there could be at least 3 pairs.  (One nest site)

***

Total so far this year 15 nest sites confirmed against a norm of about 21 sites but there will be more to add before the end of the watches (hopefully!)

Noted losses are: None at Riggs House in Cocking Yard which usually has two or three, also none showing on the Coaching House which usually has between 2-4

Our next Swift Meeting is next Friday 16th July 2021 at 8pm at the Burton Memorial Hall (everyone welcome). 

Burton Swifts - Friday 2nd July 2021 and week

Saturday 3rd July 2021

Just wanted to report seeing a pair of Swifts over Ducketts offices today. I think Ed said there were perhaps 3 pairs on his properties

Friday 2nd July 2021

 It was great tonight we have had some good sightings together with some really great news.  I think it best I give you the good news first!

Whilst doing a tour we managed to bump into Graham Wilson the builder at the Royal.  He tells me that already birds have been seen going into one of the new built purpose made nest sites to the properties on the right as you approach the Bowling Green.  He can't be sure whether they are nesters or just birds prospecting a site for the future, but its great news....... and the great news does not stop there.. He is now not going to be doing any work on the Royal Cottage frontage until well after the birds have left, so now at least the two nest on the front should be OK.  He said whilst up on the scaffold the other day doing the main Royal front gutters, the birds were zooming in and out of their nest without showing any interest to the nearby human activity, so alls well there!!

Now then getting back to the nights other activity.  We started off from the Memorial Hall, briefly calling at Cocking Yard and then to the rear of the Royal. There was definately plenty of collective behaviour with up to 15 birds counted at best, the activity seem to be centred high up and around the Royal, at one stage we had a 8 together screaming party chasing one another. We were also lucky to time it right with birds entering all the rear Cottage annexe sites eg: the 3 on the back and also the site on the small return, so that means all the rear Cottage sites are full up. We did check the front of the Royal but never had any birds enter their sites whilst we were present.  We then progressed to the Manor House which again we could not have timed it better were we had a bird enter the site at the bottom of the Gable End (ex Starling slot), we had another birds enter about one metre across on the frontage and another bird enter the site near the drain pipe.  Whilst watching from there we had a 4 overhead party but still not activity recorded for the Coaching House.

It was a great night and attended by Mary, Sue and Bryan. 

Our next Swift Meeting is next Friday 9th July 2021 at 8pm at the Burton Memorial Hall (everyone welcome).