The swifts will be arriving soon. I'd really love them to use the boxes for the first time this year. We have four boxes and have had zero residents so far.
I'm in the same boat as you. Do you have the swift call sounds playing?
I've read that they return to the sane nest site each year so any that take up residence in your box will be the really young birds that are breeding for the first tine, and they arrive in the UK later in the year, after the older adults.
I have two swift boxes up and played the swift tapes for about 4 years, unfortunately no Swift takers; the nearest colony is about 1 1/2 miles away, as the Swift flies - maybe too far. I do however have an expanding colony of House Sparrows who think the Swift boxes ideal residences.
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
I have tried playing a calls out of the window but according to Swift Conservation it needs to be on from dawn to dusk. I live in a terrace and can't imagine how to do this - on loud enough - without driving myself and my neighbours nuts. The calls are supposed to help the process immensely.
I read that swifts have just been sighted over Brent in north London - good to know they are back in the country.
I have ordered this swift call MP3 player, from Swift Conservation, which hangs under the swift boxes. There seems to be a current consensus that there is little chance of getting them to nest without playing calls, so I am going for the playing option. Until it arrives I am rigging up an old bluetooth cube speaker out of the window relaying wireless swift calls from my phone. It will be a faff, but worth it, if we can entice the birds down to investigate. If they settle, then there is a good chance they will keep returning. For me this is the year to pull out all the stops. It feels slightly bonkers, but there we are.
How exciting for those of you who are being graced with a visit! A house locally to us which has had (five separate areas of) swifts nesting under its roof for decades is being redeveloped and they have just last week removed the tiles. Such a shame. A local group tried to convinced the developer to hang on for a while, or at least to put up temporary nest boxes, with no success.
We will have some nest boxes put up next year but not in time for those left homeless. A real shame.
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I've read that they return to the sane nest site each year so any that take up residence in your box will be the really young birds that are breeding for the first tine, and they arrive in the UK later in the year, after the older adults.
We will have some nest boxes put up next year but not in time for those left homeless. A real shame.