Swifts

 
John Hansford
 
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John Hansford
Total Posts:  187
Joined  28-08-2019
 
 
 
25 August 2026 22:10
 

Still have a single Swift roosting in its nest hole, viewed from our garden again this evening.

 
Martin Sage
 
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Martin Sage
Total Posts:  506
Joined  07-12-2015
 
 
 
17 August 2026 19:31
 

A single Swift above a large of flock of hirundines at Tealham yesterday (16th Aug). At least 2 Sedge Warblers along the rhynes but no sign of any chats. My Westhay garage Swallows have just fledged their second brood. 8 young fledged so far.

 
Jeff Hazell (Levels-birder)
 
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Jeff Hazell (Levels-birder)
Total Posts:  758
Joined  01-12-2015
 
 
 
17 August 2026 10:32
 

No sign of any breeding at our house in Street this year. Swifts seen entering usual nest cavity, but no young droppings below on our conservatory roof. First year for some time that I didn’t have to put up the swift poo-shelf to protect the conservatory.

 
Steve Yates
 
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Steve Yates
Total Posts:  70
Joined  29-07-2018
 
 
 
15 August 2026 08:11
 

Haven’t seen any over the house for over a week - think the Ilminster ones have departed.

 
John Hansford
 
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John Hansford
Total Posts:  187
Joined  28-08-2019
 
 
 
14 August 2026 22:37
 

Still a couple of active Swifts nests which I am able to watch from our Garden.
This evening 21 Swifts hung around for a bit before continuing on their migration.
Thankfully ‘our’ Swifts didn’t go with them!

 
John Hansford
 
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John Hansford
Total Posts:  187
Joined  28-08-2019
 
 
 
03 August 2026 23:13
 

Swift numbers continuing to drop off, just 13 remaining over our Coleford garden this evening. There are still some active nests within 30 yards of our house, both up and down the road.

 
Geoff Trenner
 
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Geoff Trenner
Total Posts:  118
Joined  29-10-2016
 
 
 
22 July 2026 20:19
 

C30;Swifts plus a similar number of Swallows and a handful of House Martins low over Butleigh cricket pitch and nearly fields this afternoon. A number of Jackdaws and Herring Gulls circling above, so perhaps a flying ant emergence?

 
John Leece
 
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John Leece
Total Posts:  17
Joined  07-05-2018
 
 
 
20 July 2026 17:23
 

25 Swifts ‘enjoying’ the Langport airspace in the evening of 18 July.
An ‘average’ count for here. Less than last year. Warm weather and plenty of insects to feed on over the River Parrett and surrounding area.
Hope that good numbers of young fledge. Must be very hot inside their nests this summer!

 
Mat Ridley
 
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Mat Ridley
Total Posts:  68
Joined  12-07-2023
 
 
 
20 July 2026 13:59
 

Group of 15 over Axbridge town centre three days ago. We put a 6-unit swift box in Catcott church last winter: not used this year but here’s hoping…

 
Steve Yates
 
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Steve Yates
Total Posts:  70
Joined  29-07-2018
 
 
 
20 July 2026 09:42
 

Must be flight school time - screaming squadron of 20+ over our house in Ilminster this morning.

Looks like a good year for them.

 
Simon Cost
 
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Simon Cost
Total Posts:  89
Joined  30-11-2015
 
 
 
25 June 2026 22:28
 

Roy, a survey by Taunton swift group on Monday found 20 occupied swift boxes at the South Street colony, so could be that all adults were out in that flock.

 
Jeff Hazell (Levels-birder)
 
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Jeff Hazell (Levels-birder)
Total Posts:  758
Joined  01-12-2015
 
 
 
24 June 2026 12:22
 

23-June-2026
4 Swifts screaming round our house in Street this evening and 2 entered the regular nest cavity under our front gable, one followed by the other at 20:15 hrs. Neither had re-appeared by 20-50 hrs when we went inside to watch a mostly poor football match!
If they are breeding, then hopefully in this extreme hot weather we wont see a shrivelled dead youngster beneath the nest like we did in late-June-2018.

 
Roy Kelly
 
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Roy Kelly
Total Posts:  107
Joined  01-12-2015
 
 
 
23 June 2026 14:43
 

A “screaming” flock of c40 feeding over my Wellington garden this afternoon , largest number seen so far this year - possibly weather related ?

 
Steve Yates
 
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Steve Yates
Total Posts:  70
Joined  29-07-2018
 
 
 
21 June 2026 21:26
 

Lovely evening outside with , potentially, 20+ Swift overhead.

Hope it’s not just me that takes great joy in seeing reasonable numbers.

 
Simon Cost
 
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Simon Cost
Total Posts:  89
Joined  30-11-2015
 
 
 
30 April 2026 20:28
 

A single swift over Wellington this evening near normal colony