Twenty Swift boxes were installed in the bell tower of Winchester Cathedral in August 2020. That was four years ago and you can read how the birds did last year here.
This September, Roger Maynard, Catharine Gale and I went with Ian the Virger to open and inspect the boxes. We found that there had been 16 pairs (up from 13 pairs last year) and in the remaining four boxes nests have already been started. This is far better than we ever anticipated back in 2020. On the schedule below, when we say ‘young reared’, this is based on a comparison of the photo taken this year with the photo of the same box last year to check that it has been occupied - shown by the amount of poo marks in the bottom of the box. So this is a best guess based on the evidence and not absolute proof. Only by having cameras in all of the boxes could we be sure of actual fledging. Maybe one day!
Swift box end of season inspection numbers for Winchester Cathedral
Box number | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
1 | No swifts -1 small tortoiseshell | Completed nest - no young | Young fledged | Young fledged |
2 | No swifts - 1 small tortoiseshell | Completed nest - no young | ||
3 | Start of nest with leaves | Young fledged | Young fledged | |
4 | One feather | 6 feathers | Completed nest - no young | |
5 | Completed nest - no young | Young fledged | Young fledged | |
6 | 2 feathers | Completed nest - no young | Young fledged | |
7 | Feathers | Completed nest - 2 eggs thrown out | Young fledged | Young fledged - 2 eggs thrown out |
8 | Feathers | Completed nest - no young | Young fledged | Young fledged |
9 | 2 feathers | 1 egg laid but pushed out | Young fledged | |
10 | Start of nest | |||
11 | 1 feather | 1 feather | Start of nest | |
12 | 1 feather | 1 feather | Start of nest | |
13 | 1 dropping | Completed nest - no young | ||
14 | 2 droppings | Half-completed nest | Half-completed nest | |
15 | 1 feather | Completed nest - no young | Completed nest - no young | |
16 | Start of nest | Start of nest | Completed nest - 2 eggs thrown out | |
17 | Start of nest | Young fledged - 1 small dead fledgling | Young fledged | |
18 | Completed nest - no young | Young fledged | Young fledged | |
19 | Occupied - half built nest | Young fledged | Young fledged | Young fledged |
20 | Young fledged | Young fledged | Young fledged | Young fledged |
Total | 1 pair bred + 1 nest complete | 2 pairs bred + 5 nests complete | 9 pairs bred + 3 nests complete | 11 pairs bred + 5 nests complete |
In two of the boxes, two eggs had been pushed out of the nests. This seems to have happened more this year due to the cool, poor weather earlier in the season. In most instances, these birds will lay another clutch and will then go on to rear young which will fledge later in the season.
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