Welcome back the Swifts event
We have a green light for the “Welcome Back the Swifts” event, which we are co-hosting with our Cardiff Bay Swift Project partners - i.e. RSPB Cymru and the Cardiff Harbour Authority. This will be held on Saturday May 14th from 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. We shall set up near the Swift tower on the Cardiff Bay barrage. Mark the date in your diary and please come along to celebrate the return of these iconic birds from Africa. We shall set up telescopes and have binoculars to hand. There will be guided bird walks (hopefully watching Swifts, amongst others), information packs and plenty of activities for children.
You may well have had a pleasant stroll across the Cardiff Bay barrage in recent weeks and heard the sound of Swifts screaming overhead. No, you’re not going daft. Swifts have been heard over the bay during the last couple of months. Joking aside, the repairs that we had undertaken to the tower call system meant that we weren’t able to add a timing device. This means that it is permanently playing. We have been assured that the solar panels and the battery can take the loading so we decided to let it play on. It does at least cause passers-by to stop and inspect the tower.
Following our successful link up with the Valleys 2 Coast Housing Association last year, we have contacted several other HA’s and have had a very positive response from the United Welsh Housing Association, who are mainly based in the Ely area of Cardiff. We hope to set up a Swift box scheme there. Good news too that the new library building in Pontypridd has integrated Swift bricks. Let’s hope they are used.
You’ll find a useful leaflet about on Swift bricks on the Glamorgan Bird Club web site. If you are involved in planning, construction or are considering renovations, please check it out.
A site visit to Cowbridge was made to see some successful nest boxes. One house in the main street has 5 pairs (3 in boxes - see below). Boxes do work, especially if there is a colony nearby. The owner is hoping to erect more boxes. The Club hope to organise a Swift Walk around the town to see if we can find more nesting pairs.
Late news - Annie Irving was walking past the tower in mid March and saw House Sparrows entering one of the boxes. This is actually a positive sign. Recent research seems to point to Swifts “following” Sparrows to find potential nesting sites. Fingers crossed.
