Re: [SLN] Digest for swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 1 topic
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Sarah Davis
Jun 24, 2026, 1:32:52 PM (9 days ago) Jun 24
to swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com
Keep fighting Annie and Barry.
A tragic case that could have so easily been prevented at so many points.
This is also a perfect case to show the UK this law is not fit for purpose , to highlight where police , councils even ecologists fail . The lack of knowledge on how Swifts nests from ecologists , vets, and police wildlife crimes units , is staggering . You would think at the very least these professions should be educated in it.
An ecologist doing a one off quick visit to nest sites , a wildlife crimes officer claiming that evidence that nests were there , or witnessing the crime has to be from EXPERT's in their field, whoever they are, is just a joke. As for Surrey Police not responding to any of the many who reported the crime at the beginning, and then referring it to the RURAL Crimes Unit, and not the WILDLIFE Crimes Unit, just leaves us speechless. No wonder the RURAL team did not think it a problem , they went to the wrong Unit!
I think if we are to change the tide on Wildlife crimes (for Swifts anyway), the law needs challenging, as it is not fit for purpose to protect these birds and to enable prosecution.
Certain professions need education on Swifts , their behaviour and how they nest etc. Apologies to anyone reading who are in these professions, we know that a few have learnt about Swifts, but the majority seem not too.
When we saved a colony of Swifts in Godalming , Surrey , where a whole housing estate was being demolished. When I enquired what their provision was for the Swifts, they said 'What Swifts' ! There happens to be a very large long standing colony of Swifts on the estate since the 1930's, They said they had an ecologist inspect and there were no Swifts! I asked when the ecologist inspected, they said in November ! I rest my case.
Then started a campaign and project that lasted two years, as i gathered evidence , that the Swifts were there, not easy as you can imagine , but with the help of Surrey Bird Club using amazing cameras to almost peer into broken pointing where nests where and the wonderful Reigate Swifts who were able to help take photos of the flying colony's over the rooftops and survey all the nests and Hampshire Swifts helping me advise of where best to place Swift bricks in new builds , the campaign was taken on and a lot of of hard work later we saved that colony of swifts and years later they are still there. It's not for the faint hearted , and it should not be that way !
Why should we as volunteers work so hard to try and protect a red listed bird, when people who are paid to do their job are not doing it properly ! It's time to call them all out! Every single time.
Keep going Annie and Barry. Let me know if I can ever be of help.
BW
Sarah Davis
Guildford Swift Project
On Tue, 23 Jun 2026 at 07:58, <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Edward Mayer <edward...@zen.co.uk>: Jun 22 09:29AM +0100
Hi Annie and Barry, Well, what you describe in the way of official and
NGO response is just the way things are now here in Britain, isn't it? I
heard an MP the other day describe in Parliament the "official" response
when she was raped as a young girl. She said /"Nobody cared"/, and that
is pretty much how I find the UK authorities' position to be on pretty
much everything these days. The only response seems to be to make it
"newsworthy", make such a din, such a fuss that the Press come running
to see what is going on. Demonstrations, they can hit headlines, and how
about street drama? A group of actors dressed up as builders and
developers, and another dressed up as Swifts, with the Swifts being
"slaughtered" and their giant eggs smashed on the pavement in front of
that building site? How about it? Worth a thought? The TV News should
just love it. Best wishes, Edward
Tony Croft <the.cro...@gmail.com>: Jun 22 09:59AM +0100
Keep going Anne & Barry!
Anne and I are thinking of you.....
...we are lucky enough to have 2 pairs on our boxes for the first time in 4
years...!
Keep fighting on.....
Best Regards
Tony & Anne
On Mon, 22 Jun 2026, 09:29 'Edward Mayer' via swiftslocalnetwork, <
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