Call and Response Survey Method - 2024 Report

[Graham Knight]

Dear all

I attach a short report setting out details of the call and response survey method that I use and the results from the 2024 survey season. I hope that it is of interest and may encourage some of you to try it out.

Survey work is going well in 2025, and although the method is most useful early in the mornings, I am finding that it is working very well right now in the period 7am to 8.30am, when there are a lot of Swifts still occupying nests. 

A good example is from this morning where I recorded 16 Swift nests in Stevenage in the space of 45 minutes between 7.45 and 8.30am. This was in an area with a number of known nests, but I still found 6 that had not previously been recorded.

I would be happy to answer any questions about the survey method

Best wishes

Graham Knight

Sawbridgeworth Swifts

Facebook - Sawbridgeworth Swifts

[Louise at Bolton and Bury Swifts]

Hi Graham,

Thanks for this, very interesting although I've not tried it myself and I know others report it not working quite so well as it does for you. It is certainly proving very useful in your surveys!  Can you please share with us the specific call as an attachment?

Thanks 

Louise 

Bolton and Bury Swifts 

https://www.facebook.com/BoltonAndBurySwifts

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From: swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Graham Knight <gpk...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2025 5:17:55 PM
To: swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com>
Cc: Graham Knight <gpk...@gmail.com>
Subject: [SLN] Call and Response Survey Method - 2024 Report

 

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[Tim Huckvale]

A fascinating report - thank you, Graham. I much admire your dedication to the task.

On a change of tack, one sentence in your last paragraph stood out for me - the suggestion that with a nestbox camera it is possible to distinguish males from females. I had thought this impossible. Can you or someone else explain how it's done? Body features? Behaviour? Call?

Best Regards,
Tim

[Machynlleth & District Swift Group]

Hi Graham,

Your mail is extremely timely as our Dyfi Biosphere Swift Project is conducting a swift survey training exercise this evening and I have been tasked to give an input on your 'call and response' methodology. Very nice of course but I wish someone had trained 'me' up beforehand! No pressure! 

I will be referring to your excellent document so thanks for sharing it.

Best wishes

Elfyn

[Tanya Hoare]

hi Tim

No, its not possible to distinguish males from females in a camera nest  - unfortunately.

regards

Tanya & Edmund

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[Graham Knight]

Hi Louise and Eddie

The call I use is attached. I find that the very first phrase is the one that gets the most responses, often with the same call back

Best wishes 

Graham 

[Machynlleth & District Swift Group]

Hi Graham,

We actually used this method on a swift survey training exercise the other evening and much to the delight of the onlookers 'it worked" we got a response! 

You sent me the MP3 swift call sometime ago and I have been sharing it and encouraging people to utilise it. 

Best wishes

Elfyn

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[Tony Croft]

Where is the MP3 to be found?

Best Regards
Tony
   

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[Graham Knight]

Hi Tony

Attached

Best wishes

Graham

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[Tony Croft]

Thank you so much  I'll give it a try...

Best Regards
Tony
   

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[canterburyswifts]

Just catching up back from holiday. 

A really well written and helpful report Graham on your call and response method, I'll be circulating it to our team! 

I have found a few occupied nests using this method, it's been so useful and demonstrated it only yesterday evening to some of our monitors. Sounds like we need to start in earnest earlier in the year next season though.

So impressed with the amount of effort that you put in, well done and congratulations on such excellent results!

Ginny