"Swift" walk across the Cardiff Bay Barrage

On 17th July, Glamorgan Bird Club joined forces with the local RSPB group for a walk across the barrage to see the new tower. Twenty five folk attended and we were lucky enough to see several swifts flying over the bay. We gathered around the tower and yours truly gave a short talk on the project and there was plenty of opportunity for questions afterwards. The weather was great for the walk. Later we wandered around to Roath dock to see the sand martin colony there.

We also saw Mediterranean Gull, Peregrine, Whitethroat, Song Thrush, Greenfinch, Dunnock, Cormorant, House Sparrow, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Great Crested Grebe plus large numbers of Starlings and Black-headed Gulls.

Thanks to all who came along.

Talk to Barry Action for Nature group

It was a packed audience for my talk on Swifts in All Saints Church in Barry (where they have an on-going Swift project). Many thanks to Rob Curtis and the BAfN group for the invitation to spread the word about Swifts. (Yours truly on the left, Rob Curtis on the right)

interesting video

John Duffy sent me this link to a video of swifts in Sienna. What a sight.

https://twitter.com/gremkoska/status/1144850685676130304?s=12

Ely survey

A group (12) of us went surveying last night in the Swift stronghold of Ely. We were blessed with fine weather and there were lots of Swifts screaming overhead. We split in to small groups and eventually located 10 nest sites. Thanks all.

Swift Awareness Week SAW

Did you know that it's Swift Awareness Week this week?  There are events all over the UK, celebrating this iconic species.  We've got a walk in Ely this evening to do a survey of that area and
there are a couple of talks planned (outside SAW, unfortunately.)

The following graph highlights the rapid decline in Swift numbers. Thanks to the BTO. It's almost certain that the Swift will be designated as a red-listed species in the near future.

Article from CIEEM

Check out this really good article on the need for Swift bricks and boxes

http://https//cieem.net/resource/the-swift-a-bird-you-need-to-help/

Cardiff Bay Tower on Springwatch

The Cardiff Bay Swift tower was included in a piece on Swifts on BBC Springwatch this evening. Thanks for your photo Deio.