Swift Diary 2009

Upper row 1-7, middle left & middle right, lower left & lower right                          under eave nest boxes at the front

 

            bracketed number is the age in days of the fledged chick. Average fledging age = 42.3 days

	bird 1	bird 2	egg 1	egg 2	egg 3	1st out	2nd out	3rd out	1 fledged	2 fledged	3 fledged
box1	?	17/5	23/5	25/5					22/7 (39)	22/7 (39)	25/7 (43)
box2	9/6	9/6	13/6	15/6		4/7	4/7		c.14/8	c.14/8
box3	9/6	9/6				18/7	18/7
box4	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
box5			19/5	21/5		9/6	9/6		22/7 (44)		25/7 (48)
box6	9/5	3/7
box7	6/5	9/5	18/5	20/5	9/6	9/6	9/6	9/6	18/7 (39)	19/7 (41)	20/7 (42)
middle L	8/6	8/6	c.19/6	c.22/6		c.13/7	c.13/7				22/8 (41)
middle R	13/6	13/6	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
lower L	new	for	2010
lower R	new	for	2010

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2009 Observations

17^th April

The first swifts have arrived and seen feeding at Lough Neagh

 

25^th April

Swifts seen in Antrim

 

28^th April

Lone swift at the gable colony

 

2^nd May

Fly by of 3 swifts. Second camera installed

 

6^th May

First breeder back in box 7. Very wet and windy. Spends the night in the nest box.

 

7^th May

Lone very wet bird spends the night in box 7. Very windy and heavy rain

 

8^th May

Lone bird spends the night in box 7. Very windy but dry

 

9^th May

One pair in box 7 and a lone bird in box 6

 

10^th May

Many swifts about

 

14^th May

Box 6 hasn’t been used all week - I forgot to note when they arrived!

 

17^th May

Box 1 the second bird has returned from migration - I forgot to note when the 1st arrived!

 

18^th May

Box 7 has first egg. Back together 9 days

 

19^th May

Box 5 one egg

 

20^th May

Box 7 two eggs due June 8th

 

21^st May

Box 5 two eggs. due June 9^th+-. One lost

 

23^rd May

Box 1 one egg

 

25^th May

Box 1 two eggs due June 13th

 

2^nd June

Hottest day 27.5C. Most activity. 47 swifts over head in evening

 

8^th June

New bird in left CJ box

 

9^th June

Chick fed in box 7. 3 chicks box 7.

Chick/s in box 5

 

9^th June

Two pairs in boxes 2 and 3

 

12^th June

Box 7 chicks not brooded during day

 

13^th June

Pair in right CJ box

 

13^th June

One egg in box 2 due July 4th

 

19^th June

Box 5 chicks not brooded during day

 

21^st June

Swifts using two under eave nest boxes R2&3

 

22^nd June

Swifts using under eave box L3

 

22^nd June

2 eggs in left CJ

 

23^rd June

One adult at night in box 7

 

24^th June

?3 pairs using right under eave boxes.

 

27^th June

box 7 chicks look like swifts!

 

1^st July

No adults at home with chicks at night

 

3^rd July

Two adults in box 6 day and over night. All chicks rung

 

4^th July

2 chicks in box 2

 

13^th July

Two chicks in left CJ

 

18^th July

First chick box 7 fledged. – 39 days old

 

18^th July

2 chicks in box 3

 

18^th July

2 chicks left CJ

 

19^th July

2^nd chick fledged from box 7 – 41 days old

 

20^th July.

3^rd chick fledged from box 7 – 42 days old

 

22^nd July.

2 chicks fledged from box 1 – 39 days old

 

22^nd July.

1 chick fledged from box 5 – 44 days old

 

25^th July.

Last chick fledged from box 1 – 43 days old

 

25^th July.

Last chick fledged from box 5 fledged – 48 days old

 

5^th August.

Chicks in box 2 and left CJ ringed

 

10^th August.

Box 2 chicks c38 days old. To fledge c14th August

 

10^th August.

Left CJ chicks 27 days old to fledge c25th August

 

22^nd August.

One chick in left CJ - 41 days old

 

Fledging Age

39 days,  41 days, 42 days, 39 days, 44 days, 43 days, 48 days

Average 42.28 days

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Dick Newell helps put up nest boxes in Cambridgeshire video