03/07/2025
RECORD ATTENDANCE AT SWIFT EVENT
There was an excellent turnout for last night's public talk by swift expert Deb Pitman.
Following a short presentation at the Uniting Church, Deb led a large group of people of all ages on a guided walk around Whaley Bridge, looking for the beloved birds; answering questions about all aspects of the avian acrobats' lives, and letting the group know what we can do to support this endangered species.
The walk took in a number of locations where the birds are known to nest; from the centre of town, next to the railway station, which is something of a hot spot, then progressing down Reservoir Road, through Memorial Park, and up to Old Road.
The birds proved a little elusive to begin with, but as the day drew to an end, activity increased significantly, with the familiar high-pitched scream punctuating the evening air as the darting scimitar-shaped creatures prepared to roost in their temporary homes around the town.
These wonderful animals are capable of flying at speeds up to 69 miles per hour. They have had a very long time to evolve to perfection, having been around since the age of dinosaurs, with the oldest swift found in the fossil record being dated at 49 million years old!
Sadly, they are in decline, largely due to a loss of suitable nesting sites and food sources, which is why Deb has made it her mission to educate the public about what we can all do to help support those birds we have in our midst, and to increase their populations. To that end, in addition to her public talks around the High Peak, she has encouraged the establishment of a number of swift action groups, with collections of passionate people springing up in New Mills, Glossop, Chapel, Hayfield, and, most recently, Whaley Bridge.
The Whaley group conducts regular swift surveys: walks around the area to identify and log new swift nesting sites, and to verify public sightings of nests (making sure they're actually swifts, rather than swallows or house martins, which can be mistaken for swifts).
There's also a successful nest box and swift brick installation programme, which, subject to funding, aims to make nest boxes and bricks available to homes and businesses throughout the High Peak, with a great many already installed. In Whaley, the Town Council was quick to agree to the installation of a double-decker box on the Mechanics Institute, and other properties in the colony hot spot in the centre of town are also in discussions for possible sites.
If you'd like to join the Whaley Bridge Swift Group, please drop the Chronicle a line via our page messenger, or email [email protected] and we'll pass your request on.
Similarly, if you think you might have swifts nesting on your property, please drop the group a line, so they can check it out, and, if verified, report it to the recording office of local wildlife organisations.
Thanks!
