Swift Diary 2025
       nb = non breeder from 2024
  bird 1 bird 2 egg 1 egg 2 egg 3 1st out 2nd out 3rd out 1st fledged 2nd fledged 3rd fledged
1 27/4                    
2 2/5 5/5 15/5 17/5              
3 4/5 4/5 due 14/5                
4 4/5 12/5 18/5                
5 10/5 15/5 due 25/5                
6 26/4 27/4 14/5                
7 29/4 09/5 18/5                
8 27/4                    
9 29/4                    
10                      
11                      
12                      
top 1                      
top 2                      
top 3                      
top 4                      

under eave boxes - front

  bird 1 bird 2 egg 1 egg 2 egg 3 1st out 2nd out 3rd out 1st fledged 2nd fledged 3rd fledged
1                      
2                      
3                      
4                      
5                      
6                      
                       
                       
                       

under eave boxes - back

  bird 1 bird 2 egg 1 egg 2 egg 3 1st hatch 2nd hatched 3rd hatched 1st fledged 2nd fledged 3rd fledged
1                      
2                      
3                      
 
 
2024 Observations
(bracketed dates are from previous seasons)

nb = non breeder from 2024

 
my videos can be seen here www.youtube.com/user/sandersii/videos

the dates when the first swift of each pair has returned to their nest boxes on my house

2009 – May 6th, 8th, 9th, 9th, 9th, 13th
2010 – May 3rd, 3rd, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 9th, 16th
2011 – May 3rd, 5th, 5th, 6th, 8th
2012 – May 10th, 10th, 10th, 12th
2013 – May 7th, 7th, 7th, 12th, 17th, 17th, 31st
2014 – May 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 6th, 6th, 7th
2015 – May 5th, 5th, 8th, 8th, 13th, 14th, 14th, 15th
2016 – May 4th, 4th, 4th, 4th, 4th, 5th, 5th, 5th, 8th
2017 – May 4th, 4th, 5th, 5th, 6th,
2018 – May 7th, May 7th, 7th, 9th
2019 – May 5th, May 6th, May 6th, 12th,12th,
2020 – April 26th, May 5th, May 5th, May 5th, May 7th
2021 – May 2nd, May 5th, May 6th, May 9th, May 10th
2022 – May 6th, May 7th, May 7th, May 8th, May 8th, May 10th
2023 – April 29th, April 29th, April 29th, April 29th, April 30th, May 2nd, May 2nd
2024 – April 22nd,
2025 – April 26th, April 27th, April 29th, April 29th, 2nd May, 4th May
 
average date = May 7th/8th (May 7.5)

Looking at my notes over the last 10 years the first swifts seen in Northern Ireland range from April 14th to April 22nd. The average date for first sightings is April 18.9

colour ringed adults

gable box 1 – 32

gable box 2 – 03 and ?16

gable box 3 – 18 and no ring non breeders from 2022

gable box 4 – 14 and ?

gable box 5 – 02 and 17

gable box 6 – 19 and

gable box 7 – 03 and 27

gable box 8 – 25 relocated

gable box 9 – 01 and 29

gable box 10 –

gable box 11 –

under eave 4  – ? and ? didnt return in 2023

back 1 –

back 2 –

back 3 – 14 and 25 separated in 2024

what happened in the gable boxes in 2024

Box 1 - 2023 failed first time breeders. 2024 reared young
Box 2 - failed first time breeders
Box 3 - new pair
Box 4 - didnt return in 2023
Box 5 - failed established breeders
Box 6 - successful
Box 7 - successful
Box 8 - successful
Box 9 - successful
Box 10 - not in use
Box 11 - not in use
The earliest to return in 2024 were the earliest ever with swifts returning on April 22nd, 26th, 28th and 29th. Will it happen again in 2025?
April 6th
a lone swift has returned to a colony in Crumlin
April 7th
hottest day of the year - 19°C
April 8th
hottest day of the year - 20°C
3-5 house martins high above the house
April 9th
hottest day of the year - 21°C
a lone house martin entered a nest close by
April 11th
hottest day of the year - 23°C briefly 24°C
April 23rd
single swifts seen over Lisbellaw and Holywood
April 24th
3 swifts are RSPb's WoW
April 25th
2 swifts back at Caulside 4 swifts back in Brookborough
April 26th
11am a lone house martin flew up to the gable
gable box 6 - 19.26 first swift orange 19 home
April 26th
gable box 6 - 06.50 orange 19 left
April 27th
gable box 8 -18.49 orange 25 1st home
gable box 1 - 19.59 no ring home 1st
gable box 6 - 20.05 pair reunited
April 28th 19°C
gable box 3 18.6C 20.6 at 18.30
April 29th 23C at 18.00
gable box 7 - 20.13 orange 27 1st home
gable box 9 - 21.19 no ring 1st home
April 30th 27°C temp in a nest box 24.6C at 21.00
May 2nd
gable box 2 - 21.19 no ring 1st home
May 4th
gable box 3 - 07.14 a swift, no rings, arrives
8am very noisy outside
gable box 4 - 12.28 a swift, no rings, arrives
gable box 5 - 10.45 an intruder arrives and leaves very quickly
gable box 3 - 20.47 pair reunited
21.10 a house martin is investigating the apex boxes
May 5th
gable box 2 - 14.35 pair reunited
gable box 5 - 19.17 orange 03 from gable box 3 arrives
May 6th
gable box 1 - 19.00 a swift, no rings, arrives and leaves at 19.162
May 7th
gable box 1 - 11.07 a swift, no rings, arrives and leaves at 11.12
gable box 6 - first egg due but it didnt happen
May 8th
gable box 3 - 11.00 an intruder caused a fight
gable box 3 - 12.25 an intruder caused a fight
gable box 3 - 12.54 an intruder caused a fight
gable box 3 - 12.56 two fight ending with both birds falling interlocked on the roof below. Ringed orange 36 and orange 41
gable box 3 - 13.10 a swift, no rings, arrives. Where is orange 18. Who are orange 36 and orange 41
gable box 3 - 16.26 orange 36 arrives
May 9th
gable box 7 - 17.35 pair reunited
gable box 8 - swift returns after 8 days absence
May 10th 22°C
gable box 8 - 08.41 orange 25 arrives with a new mate. Possibly the 4th mate. 3 last year in different boxes
back door 3 - frequently today a swift is leading another to this box
May 10th
gable box 5 - 21.40 a swift arrives. No rings! Both residents, not home yet, are ringed
May 11th 24°C
back door 3 - 08.22 a swift, no rings, arrives and leaves at 08.25
May 12th 22°C
gable box 4 - 15.28 a pair arrive
MY 13th 28.8C at 21.46 in gable box 3
May 14th 18°C
10.30 house martins look at the cups
gable box 6 - 1st egg after 17 days!
15.45 house martins at the gable
May 15th
gable box 2 - 1st egg 10 days together
gable box 5 - 10.02 two arrive. Both, no rings, leave at 10.05
May 17th
30°C in gable box 3
May 18th
gable box 4 - 1st egg 6 days together
gable box 7 - 1st egg 9 days together