The swifts arrived back at Langford on 25 April, and for me that’s as good as summer. These must be my favourite birds, not only for their speed, agility and beauty in the air, but also for their mysterious and mystical lifestyle.

They are one of the last of the spring migrants to arrive and they will be one of the first to leave. They will be gone in August spending only 3 or 4 months breeding in the UK. Not for them a life of domestic bliss, they would rather be flying.   If I can see a swift, it’s not yet time to go back to school.

When they leave us they will head for Africa but they won’t even bother to land there. They will be on the wing from August to the following spring when they come back here again. They can eat, sleep, drink and mate in the air and the only time they stop flying is when they find the hole under the eaves of a building to lay their eggs.   Nests??? No time for that, a few bits a dry grass plucked out of the air will do.

But our magical swifts are in decline and the shortage of nest sites is part of the problem. We are much too tidy and our buildings do not have enough holes. Have a look at www.swift-conservation.org for more details about giving swifts a home.

Guess how I spent the lockdown?  Looking forward to the swifts coming back, and building a nestbox for them.

   Swift nestbox - photo Roger Golds

Almost all the other spring migrants are now back at Langford and so the birdsong is uplifting and the reserve is looking great. We also have our share of unusual birds with a slavonian grebe, a Temminck’s stint and a glossy ibis dropping in to enjoy the water and the mud. Hobbies are here in large numbers now and they create a splendid sight swooping over the water.

So why don’t you call in? The swifts are here and our wonderful staff and volunteers will make you very welcome.

  Swift - photo Stuart Carlton