Monday was a brilliant day for South Manchester Swifts. About a year’s teamwork culminated in twenty boxes being installed in one day. I’ve attached a few pictures.
Originally, we’d been looking round for known swift nests. Young swifts like to return from migration to nest near their parents but with fewer and fewer likely spots available it’s a good idea to put boxes near active swift nests.
A few of our members, usually while walking dogs, had spotted regular swift movement over the Mersey Crescent Estate, West Didsbury and in Eversley Road/ Victoria Avenue, Didsbury. The task of contacting householders in these two areas began and not all were keen. One reason was the cost. It would be about £100 to put a couple of boxes on each house. Our boxes, made for us by the wonderful Men in Sheds, were £15 each.
With plenty of help from local council officers and some attention to paperwork we managed to get a £1000 grant from the Neighbourhood Investment Fund (NIF). We were in business! Our members confirmed arrangements with the householders who were keen to have boxes and in ideal positions for the swifts.
We knew of Jan, an expert box installer and swift enthusiast in the Sheffield swift group who was prepared to travel, was a quick worker and charged a very reasonable rate. He agreed to help us out and he and our ‘box squad’ met at the Mersey Crescent Estate West Didsbury and put up the first eight on five houses. Jan’s reputation for speed and agility on ladders and installation skills is well deserved. He was like lightning. There was even time to stop off at Broad Oak School and put three boxes up there before lunch. The school had been put on the back burner for another occasion.
In the afternoon Jan was up the ladder again at either end of Eversley Rd. Beautiful new homes for the next generation of swifts. Six boxes on three houses.
We really hope this will create new colonies over the next few years as young swifts return from migration, looking for new nests. One day we could see large groups of swifts swooping over South Manchester again.
