Swift Diary 2024

WendyBartter said:

I was researching online about Swift behaviours and read somewhere that chicks & adults can go into 'torpor' and go without food for up to fifteen days??  Would like to know if this is true

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/13/swifts-survive-wet-british-june-weatherwatch#:~:text=But%20the%20swift%20has%20a,survive%20for%20days%20without%20food.

Cannot now find the article which said 15 days

I hope this helps Wendy, the text from the link you provided.

Quote:

"For Britain’s breeding birds – especially those migrants that spend only a short time here before heading back to their winter home in Africa – June is a crucial month.

Plentiful sunshine – June is usually the sunniest month of the year in England and Wales, thanks to the long hours of daylight – provide the vast amounts of insects and invertebrates that these birds require to feed their young.
barn swallows

This sunlight-fuelled source of energy is crucial: if their youngsters are to be fit and healthy enough to make the epic journey south in the autumn, they need to get enough food during this time of plenty.

Some Junes bring perfect weather for aerial hunters such as swallows, martins and swifts. These species feed on the tiny insect plankton that hangs invisibly in the air on still summer days, so if June is cooler and wetter than normal – as in 2012, which was the dullest since 1909 – they struggle to find enough food for their weak and hungry youngsters.

For some species, this means disaster. Unless the weather improves, they will not have enough time to raise a second brood before autumn arrives. But the swift has a clever trick up its sleeve.

During spells of bad weather, these aerial acrobats fly hundreds of miles away to avoid getting soaked. Meanwhile their young enter a state of torpor, reducing their energy consumption so they can survive for days without food. Once the weather improves, the adult swifts return to the nest laden with insects, and resume breeding.

This is what we're up against

Teams of lawyers from the rich and powerful trying to stop us publishing stories they don’t want you to see.

Lobby groups with opaque funding who are determined to undermine facts about the climate emergency and other established science.

Authoritarian states with no regard for the freedom of the press.

Bad actors spreading disinformation online to undermine democracy."

Yes, bits of rain yesterday.

Update is that four swifts were flying here again last night about 9.30pm.....and again this morning. Not sure if it's possible or wishful thinking. But one of the front ones might have had quite a pale head. Sun is very strong this morning, so could be more challenging re evidence gathering, but will have a go. Thanks.

Actually have another update! Again heard swifts last night around 9pm ish......looked out and saw two going over the house very low.....then saw a house martin go across the garden.......chased by a hobby! The martin passed over the hedge and turned towards the neighbour's house and the hobby peeled away in the other direction and back up and over the house. Very good view of it as it turned back on itself to change direction near the house. Did worry about the swifts as I did only see the two.....and again this morning....but it was back to 5 low down about an hour ago. There were also approx 20 very high up over the house as we got in the car this morning.....right on time for late July departure.

p.s. Wendy.....do you know if the swiflets at any stage were looking out their nestbox? I had that in 2022 a number of times but very little (if any) since.

The youngsters did often spend time in the tunnel before they fledged, I was only watching nestcam but the owner of the house had a tunnel cam too & put clips on Facebook ... Bolton & Bury Swifts, she, Louise Bentley, is also a recognised Swift and other hirundines rehabber and has been responsible for getting local council to incorporate Swift bricks in new builds!

The parent pair came back to box for a 6th night post fledging visit, good to be able to observe their actions with no youngsters to feed ... a late education for me too!

Thanks Wendy. Were they visible from outside when in "the tunnel"? I was hoping every year I'd see a white/grey face peering out the opening to the nest box for a few days. Been a bit unnerving to have weeks of feeding, plenty of sound and no visible sign of life when that all stops. 

I will check up with Louise as to whether any were visible peering out!

Thanks. I had read somewhere previously, possibly Bristol swifts, that when they're close to fledging they start looking out. We did get that in 2022, albeit it irregularly. Last year was nothing when I was checking and same again this year. Maybe having sparrows (and occasionally a starling early on) kept the swiftlets pinned back in the box.