They're here, they're noisy and they're most welcome. Swifts are once again soaring, swirling and diving over my home. It's amazing that they find their way back here year after year, all the way from their African wintering grounds. I like Hackney, but you have to ask, why do swifts come here?
The answer is that with the watery, damp riches of both Hackney and Walthamstow Marshes and the River Lee nearby, there are plenty of insects buzzing around. The other big attraction is the old (mostly Victorian) housing, which provides suitable nest sites; although modern renovations are removing the nooks and crannies in the eaves where swifts build their nests. How on earth did the species survive before we started building two storey homes, church towers and castles?
If graceful migrants are your "thing", then come and see us at the Lee Valley Spring Wildlife Weekend on Saturday and Sunday (16 & 17 May at the Waterworks nature reserve off the Lee Bridge Road, nearest train station is Clapton). There's a sand martin bank on the reserve and if the birds aren't put off by all the human activity, you should be able to get a good view of them. We'll have an information stand where you can find out more about our work in London and our house sparrow parks research project. The Waterworks is one of twenty house sparrow research sites across Greater London.
Our Mind the Bird photo competition continues with some stunning images submitted. The idea is to capture and image of some of the variety of birds found in London; within a five minute walk of a tube station! I've been impressed by the submissions to date but feel we haven't yet heard from a lot of under 18's. Come on, get snapping.