gable boxes

nb = non breeder from 2017

under eave boxes - front

under eave boxes - back

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, 12,12,

 

average date = May 7th/8th (May 7.5)

 

Birds expected to arrive and breed in gable boxes 6, 7, 9, under eave 6

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

---

 

April 19th hottest day of the year

two swifts were seen at Craigavon Lakes. 3 swifts seen in Antrim

 

April 20th hottest day of the year

swift seen in Portadown. 2 swifts seen in Limavady

 

April 21st hottest day of the year

swift seen in Antrim

 

April 22nd

two swifts seen at Eglantine church, Lisburn

 

April 24th

8 swifts at the south end of Lough Neagh

 

April 30th

2 swifts over Antrim marina

2 swifts back in nest boxes in Fermanagh - 9 days earlier than 2018

 

May 1st

sunrise 05.47 sunset 20.59

 

screaming party close to the house

swifts seen in Ballycastle

 

May 5th

4 swifts seen close to the house

front 6 21.28 first swift back

 

May 6th

gable box 4 11.18 first swift home and leaves at 12.07

gable box 6 12.51 first swift home and leaves at 13.26

gable box 5 17.55 first swift home and leaves at 18.05

 

no swifts came home last night

 

May 7th

no activity so far

 

gable box 6 16.06 a swift arrives and leaves at 16.19

gable box 5 18.28 a swift arrives and leaves at 18.33

gable box 4 18.54 a swift arrives and leaves at 19.25

 

May 8th

gable box 7 19.00 pair back but since when? I forgot to put back their camera - doh!

 

May 9th

gable box 7 10.59 a swift arrives with feathers and leaves at 11.13

gable box 7 11.48 more feathers are brought in

gable box 6 12.38 a swift arrives and leaves at 12.56

 

frequent visits today by birds in gable boxes 5, 6 and 7

 

gable box 3 20.48 a swift arrives and leaves at 20.52

gable box 7 21.32.47 a swift leaves and returns at 21.32.58

gable box 7 21.33.25 a swift leaves and in 4 seconds returns but makes a mistake

gable box 5 21.33.29 the swift from box 7 enters causing a fight. They finish and leave at 22.36 and 22.58 - its now very dark outside

 

May 10th

post fight the swift in box 5 returned at 05.00. The pair in box 7 reunited at 14.12

frequent visits today by birds in gable boxes 5 and 7

gable box 4 19.32 a swift arrives and leaves at 19.55

 

May 12th

gable box 9 18.55 first swift home

gable box 9 18.58 second swift home. Both leave at 21.05

 

May 13th

gable box 7 11.08 an intruder arrives causing an immediate fight. The fight ends at 15.08 - 4 hours

gable box 5 19.53 a second swift arrives.

gable box 5 19.55 a swift arrives but stays close to the entrance but there is no fight. It acts like a first timer by climbing and exploring. It leaves at 20.12

front 6 18.20 a swift arrives and leaves at 19.00

front 7 a swift arrives at 21.25 and leaves at 21.28 - the swift with the 'sore' throat

front 7 21.30 a swift arrives and leaves at 21.40

front 6 21.40 two swifts arrive together

 

May 14th

gable box 6 04.43 mate arrives

gable box 4 14.48 a swift arrives and leaves at 15.01

 

May 15th

sunrise 05.19 sunset 21.25

 

gable box 4 07.22 a swift arrives and leaves at 08.30

 

May 20th

gable box 9 first egg 10 days together

 

May 21st

gable box 7 first egg

 

May 22nd

gable box 6 first egg 9 days back together

gable box 9 second egg

front 4 11.28 a swift arrives and leaves at 12.03

front 9 12.44 a swift arrives and leaves at 12.50

front 4 19.47 a swift arrives and stays until 21.05

 

May 23rd

front 4 11.00 a swift arrives and leaves at 11.25

front 4 20.12 a swift arrives and leaves at 23.00

 

May 24th

front 4 08.22 a swift arrives

front 6 08.40 the mate arrives.

This answers questions I had. Was a swift from front 6 making mistakes and entering front 4? I saw a swift doing the i have a nest follow me and this puzzled me

front 4 12.14 the swift leaves. The start of a new pair or did a single with no returning mate relocate?

front 4 13.30 a swift arrives and leaves at 14.59

front 6 16.40 an intruder arrives causing a fight. I separate them and mark both

front 4 19.23 a swift arrives ... one of the fighters. It leaves at 19.38

front 6 19.45 the swift from front 4 enters and leaves at 19.50

 

May 25th

front 6 05.52 swift leaves

front 6 06.12 both arrive. Both leave at 09.16

gable 6 second egg - one day late

gable 5 21.56 a swift arrives and leaves at 22.57

front 5 arrives at 21.30 and leaves at 23.25

 

May 26th

front 4 the swift arrives at 07.18 and leaves at 08.19

 

May 27th

front 6 06.14 swift leaves

front 6 06.15 both arrive. Both leave at 09.57

front 6 14 days back together but no eggs the pair aren't together very often

 

May 28th

front 6 06.27 swift leaves

front 6 06.28 both arrive. Both leave at 09.01

gable box 5 21.17 a swift arrives and leaves at 21.36

 

May 29th

front 6 06.29 swift leaves

front 6 06.30 both arrive. Both leave at 09.15

 

May 30th

front 6 05.14 swift leaves, returns at 05.48, leaves at 06.50 and arrives at 07.31, leaves at 07.35, returns at 07.39

front 4 07.39 swift arrives

front 6 swift leaves at 07.55. A swift arrives at 08.03 and explores inside the box and leaves at 08.11. At 08.44 a swift arrives and leaves at 09.03

front 4 09.33 the swift leaves

front 6 10.00 a swift arrives and leaves at 10.41

front 4 10.41 the swift leaves

front 6 11.41 both arrive. Both leave at 13.00

front 4 18.22 a swift arrives and leaves at 19.22

front 4  a swift arrives

 

May 31st

gable box 4 14.42 a swift arrives missing for 16 days or is this the mate arriving late?

gable box 5 14.42 a swift arrives and leaves at 15.26

gable box 4 leaves at 15.43

gable box 4 19.41 a swift arrives

front 4 21.21 a swift arrives

front 6 21.22 a swift arrives

 

June 1st

sunrise 04.57 sunset 21.49

front 6 04.59 the swift leaves and arrives at 05.07 and leaves at 05.40

gable box 4 07.11 a swift arrives

gable box 5 07.11 a swift arrives

front 6 06.15 a swift arrives, 06.46 leaves,

gable box 4 06.49 the swift leaves

front 4 4 07.02 the swift leaves 12 hours in the nest box

front 6 07.06 the pair arrive

gable box 5 07.16 the swift leaves

gable box 4 07.59 the swift leaves

gable box 5 08.04 a swift arrives, 08.07 a second swift arrives. 08.08 a short fight results in the first swift leaving

gable box 5 08.05 a swift arrives

front 6 08.35 the pair leave

gable box 5 09.11 a second swift arrives. minor fights and at 09.43 one leaves

front 6 09.22 a swift arrives

front 4 09.22 a swift arrives

front 6 09.37 the swift leaves

front 4 09.45 the swift leaves

gable box 5 09.48 remaining swift leaves

gable box 5 09.57 a swift arrives

gable box 4 10.40 a swift arrives and leaves at 10.45

gable box 5 10.59 the swift leaves

gable box 5 13.03 a swift arrives

gable box 2 13.06 a swift arrives and leaves at 13.25

gable box 5 13.31 a swift leaves

gable box 4 13.31 a swift arrives and leaves at 13.32

gable box 5 13.33.00 a swift arrives and leaves at 13.33.50

gable box 5 14.07 a swift arrives and leaves at 15.34

gable box 5 16.40 a swift arrives and leaves at 16.55

front 4 20.00 a swift arrives

front 6 20.01 a swift arrives

gable box 5 20.13 a swift arrives

gable box 5 20.15 the mate arrives

front 6 21.36 the swift leaves and returns at 21.56

 

June 2nd

front 6 05.44 the swift leaves

front 5 05.45 the swift leaves

front 4 09.25 a swift arrives and leaves at 10.10

front 6 09.25 a swift arrives and leaves at 10.06

 

June 3rd

front 6 05.01 the swift leaves front 6

front 4 06.24 10 days after arriving and without finding a mate an egg is laid

front 4 07.24 the swift leaves

front 6 07.24 the pair arrive

front 6 10.13 both leave

gable box 3 11.46 a swift arrives and leaves at 12.01

gable box 4 15.21 a swift arrives and leaves at 15.41

front 4 17.26 the swift returns

front 6 17.50 a swift returns, leaves immediately and returns at 18.09 and leaves at 18.22

gable box 3 17.36 a swift arrives and leaves at 17.42

gable box 4 18.06 a swift arrives and leaves at 18.20

front 6 18.09 a swift arrives and leaves at 18.22

gable box 3 19.20 a swift arrives 

front 4 19.42 the swift leaves

front 6 19.42 a swift arrives and leaves at 19.46

front 4 19.47 a swift arrives

gable box 3 leaves at 19.58

gable box 3 20.43 a swift arrives

gable box 2 20.15 a swift arrives and leaves at 20.22

gable box 3 20.42 a swift arrives

 

June 4th

front 4 05.41 the swift leaves

front 6 05.41 the swift leaves 05.47 the pair arrive

gable box 4 07.37 a swift arrives and leaves at 08.36

gable box 3 08.59 a swift arrives and leaves at 09.03

front 6 09.00 both leave

gable box 3 leaves at 09.03

gable box 4 09.04 a swift arrives  and leaves at 09.10

gable box 4 10.04 a swift arrives and leaves at 10.11

gable box 3 10.14 a pair arrives and act like they know each other. 11.06 both leave

front 4 11.35 a swift arrives

front 6 11.47 a swift arrives and leaves at 11.52

front 4 13.56 the swift leaves

 

June 5th

front 4 07.38 second egg and no mate

 

front 6 11.28 the pair arrive. Both leave at 12.26

gable 3 12.37 a swift arrives and leaves at 12.44

gable 4 12.37 a swift arrives and leaves at 12.50

gable box 2 16.23 a swift arrives and leaves at 16.30

 

rain most of the day

 

front 4 how does a single swift cope without a mate to share incubation red = eggs unattended

incubates from 21.20 (June 4th) to 11.21 (incubates 13 hours),

returns at 16.26 (4 hours 5 minutes) and

leaves at 18.16 ( incubates 1 hour 50 minutes),

returns at 18.26 (10 minutes) and

leaves at 20.24 (incubates 2 hours),

returns at 21.14 (50 minutes)

 

June 6th

front 6 10.54 the pair arrive. Both leave at 11.42

 

front 4 how does a single swift cope without a mate to share incubation red = eggs unattended

incubates from 21.14 June 5th to 08.34 swift leaves (incubates 11 hours 15 minutes)

returns at 13.25(4 hours 50 minutes) (incubates 5 hours 50 minutes)

leaves at 15.04 (incubates 1 hour 10 minutes)

returns at 20.40 (5 hours 35 minutes)

 

rain most of the day

 

June 7th

gable box 4 07.12 a swift arrives and leaves at 07.21

gable box 4 10.21 the swift arrives with feathers and leaves at 10.16 - no mate!

gable box 4 11.11 swift arrives with grass and leaves at 11.20

front 6 18.53 a swift arrives

front 6 18.55 the mate arrives. One leaves at 19.40 and the other at 19.41

front 6 18.55

 

front 4 how does a single swift cope without a mate to share incubation red = eggs unattended

incubates from 20.40 June 6th to 08.58 swift leaves (incubates 12 hours 18 minutes)

returns at 11.09 (2 hours 7 minutes) (incubates 37 minutes)

leaves at 11.47 (incubates 1 hour 10 minutes)

returns at 22.19 (10 hours 30 minutes)

 

June 8th

gable box 4 15.48 a swift arrives and leaves at 15.52

gable box 4 20.20 a swift arrives and leaves at 21.27

front 6 21.08 a pair arrive but no swift in front 4 since eggs were laid

gable box 3 21.49 a swift arrives first time staying over night

 

June 9th

gable box 3 04.21 the swift leaves

front 6 04.35 and 04.37 the pair leave

front 5 08.52 a swift arrives but should it be in 4 or 6? It leaves at 09.08

front 6 10.11 the pair arrive. 10.37 both leave

 

June 10th

gable box 2 16.15 a swift arrives and leaves at 16.29

gable box 3 16.41 a swift arrives and leaves at 16.52

 

June 11th

gable box 9 chicks have hatched

gable box 4 09.51 a swift arrives and leaves at 10.07

 

June 12th

gable box 2 a swift arrives with feathers - probably a mistake - and leaves at 20.09

gable box 4 20.16 a swift arrives and leaves at 20.39

 

June 13th very cold all day

 

June 15th rain all day

sun rise 04.47 sun set 22.03

 

June 16th

gable box 5 first egg 15 days together

 

June 18th

gable box 5 2nd egg

gable box 2 20.01 a swift arrives and leaves at 20.17

 

So quiet. No bangers. Not many screaming parties

 

June 27th 23c. No swift activity

 

July 1st sun rise 04.52 sun set 22.05

 

July 3rd

gable box 11 07.02 a swift arrives and leaves at 07.37

gable box 11 08.13 a swift arrives and leaves at 08.19

 

gable box 4 13.14 an intrusion by a breeder with a bolus. Fight over at 13.20

gable box 4 13.31 the ?mate returning with feathers get a beating

 

July 5th

gable box 11 08.09 a swift arrives and leaves at 08.17

gable box 5 eggs get dumped

 

July 9th

gable box 5 07.23 a swift arrives and leaves at 07.40

gable box 5 08.24 a swift arrives and leaves at 10.24

 

July 15th sun rise 05.07 sun set 21.53

 

July 20th

gable box 9 12.51 first chick fledges aged 40 days

 

July 21st

gable box 9 21.20 2nd chick fledges in to very heavy rain aged 41 days

gable box 9 22.06 3rd chick fledges aged 40

 

July 22nd

gable box 6 10.55 1st chick fledges

gable box 6 14.38 2nd chick fledges

 

July 23rd

gable box 6 06.12 3rd chick fledges

 

July 26th

21.37 last chick fledges aged 45 days!