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Anyone had any luck with one they have installed?
These seem really popular round Sheffield but I've no idea how successful they have been at attracting birds.
https://s6swiftssheffield.org/
You may not get any interest for a while. Worth putting up to try though.
Watching with interest. The local church (Gr I listed) is undergoing some stonework repairs right now, and I've been in touch with the vicar, the architect and directly with the mason who have all agreed not to block up several known swift nestholes. But we've also said we'll source a couple of extra boxes too, and put those up over the winter, in prep for the swifts coming back next spring. Just need to finalise where to put them.
@thepodge really useful link thanks. Love those impeckable nest boxes! Bit more than I wanted to pay...
I’m interested in putting some Swift boxes up, apparently it’s best to have them facing north, which would work ok with my house, I could probably get three or four up.
Only problem is cost, I’d likely have to do it one at a time, and I’d need to get someone to put them up - there’s zero chance of me being found at the top of a bloody ladder putting swift boxes under my eaves! 😱
The John Stimpson box looks ok, about what I can afford, in that I could easily buy two of those, possibly three, and get a friend to put them up.
Thanks for the info, I’ll look into those.
Not that I’ve had much success getting birds to nest in my garden, in fact my garden seems to have been deserted by the birds, I used to get loads of goldfinches, sparrows, long-tailed tits, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, even marsh tits, lots of starlings, even goldcrests, but this year they’ve nearly all gone, which is very distressing.
At least I’ve got the hedgehogs, which is something, and a Robin. 😕
IME they use habitual nesting sites, if these aren't available then you might get lucky.
I put some RSPB ones up for a neighbour on a barn wall that Swifts return to every year and nest under the eaves. Several years and not one pair because they can still nest under the eaves??
I've had these ones up I made for a couple of years now.
Not a sausage unfortunately.
I've put house Martin boxes up a few years ago. They are regularly used.
In spring the tits use them then they fledge in time for the house Martin arrival.
The tits then use them over winter.
We do have a series of nests along the front and sides of our house and the neighbours.
My neighbour put some up and wired up some speakers to play house Martin calls to try and attract some to his. Didnt work first year but this year he did have some!
My neighbour put some up and wired up some speakers to play house Martin calls
Caravan of love?
Slightly o/t but a friend put up an owl box in an unused Dutch barn we have about eight years ago. Nothing at all for years but this year I was walking past it and there was a lovely barn owl sitting atop it - was strangely exciting to finally see one.
Some more boxes here
https://www.tudorenvironmental.co.uk/site-maintenance/bird-and-animal-shelters/bird-and-bat-boxes
I volunteer for the local swift conservation charity, although I'm no expert on swift behaviour. I'm just the bloke at the top of the ladder fitting the boxes, so i have fitted literally hundreds.
You need to expect a long delay before the boxes are used, and even then it is not guaranteed. Think 3 or 4 years.
You can significantly increase your chances by fitting the boxes in areas where there already are swifts nesting and by using a call system to attract their interest.
The call systems can be fairly cheap aliexpress type things and really do change the flight paths of the birds!
Swifts traditionally use holes and imperfections in buildings, I have a theory that they are used to looking for nest sites in these places and are only slowly getting the idea that these neat wooden boxes could make a nice nesting place. If I'm right, they will start adopting them more rapidly as more are used etc.
As usual with so much in nature conservation, tidyness is the enemy of giving our wildlife a chance. Thoughtless building rennovation has destroyed many long established colonies. Please consider providing boxes or swift bricks if tidying up a building that is in a nesting area. You could also specify some swift bricks in that extension?
The most rapid success we have had has been with boxes fitted internally in the loft space,accessed through little tunnels, or commercially available swift bricks which can be quickly fitted during builds or as replacement
Count zero maybe there is a local group who would fit you a box, we do the work for nothing, just charge for the cost of the box. kayak nice boxes!
Lots of information on local groups, box design and call systems here: http://actionforswifts.blogspot.com/