We have five swift boxes on our house, all with cameras installed. Only one is occupied right now and they are sitting on two eggs although we have had two more occupied in past years. It took us 10 years to get them in the first place and then they only moved in when we STOPPED playing the swift call tape! You can see the progress of our endeavour over the years on www.cleyswifts.blogspot.com
We have five swift boxes on our house, all with cameras installed. Only one is occupied right now and they are sitting on two eggs although we have had two more occupied in past years. It took us 10 years to get them in the first place and then they only moved in when we STOPPED playing the swift call tape! You can see the progress of our endeavour over the years on www.cleyswifts.blogspot.com
Wow Sue, you have quite a set up for swifts at your house. I've just been reading the blog, great news. What designs have you used for the boxes? And have you checked out Bristol swifts blog.
If you have a lean-to, nest boxes in there might work- we always had swifts in our horses' stables, all of them, despite regular use and de-cobwebbing. I didn't even know you could get swift nest boxes! We had a family of them in our roof in one house, right above the bedroom window, which was handy! 😀
Thought I'd revive this thread as I saw my first 2 swifts of the season today. I was chuffed. Hopefully my boxes will be successful after being up for I dont know how long (maybe 4 years plus) and playing calls every summer. I've had lots of response to the calls but never any going in or landing on the box. Fingers crossed for this year.
I’m getting a ladder soon so that I can paint the lintels upstairs. I’ll probably install a box then 👍🏼
If you look on action for swifts website there's some really good designs as well as bristol swifts website (the latter is where I got mine from) if your into DIY. It's definately cheaper. If you have deep eaves an oblong shoebox design is one of the most basic and easiest one you could make. All it is is 6 squares/rectangles glued together.
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I didn't even know you could get swift nest boxes!
We had a family of them in our roof in one house, right above the bedroom window, which was handy! 😀