Re: [SLN] Digest for swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com - 5 updates in 4 topics

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Edward Mayer

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Jun 22, 2026, 4:29:46 AM (11 days ago) Jun 22
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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

On 22-Jun-26 7:58 AM, swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com wrote:
Mike Priaulx <michael...@yahoo.com>: Jun 21 05:38PM

Hi all,




The annual mega migration event at Spurn in East Yorkshire is now due.
Swifts can pass through southbound in huge numbers, up to 21,000 per day:


https://spurnbirdobservatory.co.uk/news/swifts-at-spurn-17-06-2021





Peak dates are between 20th June and 10th July.




Trapping confirms these are mainly first summer (i.e. one year old)
birds.




It's not fully known what is taking place, these young birds could
potentially be departing for the year as they are sometimes recorded
arriving on the continent in similar numbers.




Numbers passing through are increasing this week but these could be
delayed one year old birds who didn't fancy arriving in the wet and windy
weather.




NB Pacific Swift is mentioned in the article, and coincidentally one of
these rare vagrants was reported from Bardsey Island in Wales this weekend.
 




All the best,

Mike




Islington and Hackney Swifts Groups
Steve Peet <steve...@hotmail.co.uk>: Jun 21 10:36AM

I’ve been very fortunate to spend time in the Spanish cities of Toledo, Cordoba and Cadiz over the last 10 days.
The skies of all three cities have been full of swifts, with frequent screaming parties providing an enthralling spectacle.
It’s a sad contrast with the empty skies in so many UK towns and it highlights how important the efforts of everyone in this group are.
 
Steve
Banstead Swifts <banstea...@gmail.com>: Jun 21 09:04AM +0100

Morning
 
We questioned whether to share this here as there was little response (we
acknowledge and are grateful to those that did) to our post regarding
legals and changing things nationally to save swifts.
 
The Police, developers, contractors and council are witholding the building
survey that was carried out 48 hours prior to demolition but they have
relied upon for evidence to supercede that of eye witnesses. We have now
submitted an FOI to the Police and council for this.
 
The publics submissions on the planning application should have been online
within 5 days of submission, but 7 months on they are not online and the
council is not replying to advise if we maynview them in the office, so we
have submitted a complaint on that too.
 
No support on the case came from RSPB. SWT. No NGO at all.
 
It is disgraceful that 22 nests can be lost in one fell swoop and it is
left to a handful of unpaid volunteers to hold multiple businesses and
local government to account. It may have helped morale and the public if
the NGOs had released a written statement on the incident offering their
view and support for justice for the swifts. But nothing for the swifts at
all.
 
The general public consistently ask what the RSPB amd RSPCA are doing to
help and we have to say 'nothing'. They didn"t believe it till they
started emailing themselves. BTW this is not an attack on you Laurinda, it
is of the policies of the RSPB to not get involved.
 
Despite this we are still continuing our work on justice for the swifts of
Dorking. We will continue to dig for information and a route to legal
advice and a private prosecution.
 
We have already submitted a complaint to Surrey Police regarding Nest 1.
Pound Road,Banstead Colony but we shall be submitting another on their
whole month of sitting doing nothing whilst the general public flagged up
swifts in the building and a wildlife crime occuring.
 
Thanks to Mike Priaulx for his continued support and lead, with his expert
knowledge, he is one in a million.
 
Best
Annie & Barry
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
URGENT NEWS - Surrey Police
 
It is what we expected.
 
14:17 update: We do not intend to drop this. We will continue to pursue
justice for the swifts and nature. This is not the end, it is the beginning
of the next chapter.
 
=======
 
Response from Surrey Police on Regent House Demolition and Destruction of
up to 22 swift nests:
 
 
Good afternoon,
 
In regards to Regent House I am now in a position to give a fuller update
in regards to your police report.
 
As part of the investigation, I have spoken with 10 complainants to
determine whether or not we have sufficient evidence to proceed with any
form of criminal proceedings. Accounts from all 10 persons have been
obtained, either over the phone or via email. Contact has been made with
both the council and the demolition company to obtain their record of
documents as well as two ecologist reports that were obtained, one of which
post partial demolition to ascertain if there was any evidence of active
nesting, or if there was any evidence that there had been prior to
demolition beginning. There appears to have been a CCTV camera that would
have captured the site at one point; however, Network Rail have confirmed
that this camera was owned by a different company, which has since
dissolved and is not part of the train network.
 
Having obtained a timeline of events as produced by yourselves, with the
videos and accounts by the complainants, as well as the ecologists reports.
This matter was submitted to the National Rural Crime Team for their review
and advice. They have confirmed that with the evidence submitted, it would
have been "likely" that the swifts would have returned to nest if left
undisturbed. The unit note that there is a lot of circumstantial evidence
and presumptions, however this is not supported by factual evidence. This,
coupled with the ecologists report (the second one not the tree one), along
with the fact that scaffolding and monoflex sheeting had been erected prior
to nesting season, would completely undermine a prosecution.
 
Further to this, we have the requirement to prove intent, from the
documentation that we have been provided, the company appear to have
complied with all legislation to protect nests. There is no offence of
"recklessness" in English law, there for intention to destroy would have to
be proved, not that they were reckless or negligent in the fact. This is
how Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act is written.
 
In the reviewing officers opinion, there is no realistic prospect of a
prosecution.
 
Based on this, no further action is being taken by Surrey Police in regards
to this allegation and this matter will now be filed. I appreciate that
this is not the news that you wanted to receive, however as stated above,
the lack of physical evidence and the way that the legislation is written
means that we will not be able to prosecute in this matter.
 
Many thanks
 
PC 40387 Grout
Mole Valley Safer Neighbourhood Team
 
======

Tony Croft <the.cro...@gmail.com>: Jun 21 09:27AM +0100

Dear Anne & Barrie
 
Completely agree with everything you say in this email.
 
What's the point of this legislation if no one upholds it...
 
It's compliance for the protection of all house nesting birds that matters
and it's clear no one is going to enforce it or penalise companies that
flaunt the regulations...
 
It's simply outrageous that these companies can flaunt the rules as the
councils, police, etc don't enforce them or subject the builders and
planners to prosecution for not following them or enforceing them! They
just don't take any of it seriously!
 
The whole thing is a shambles and smells of something wrotten!
 
Best Regards
Tony & Anne
 
On Sun, 21 Jun 2026, 09:04 Banstead Swifts, <banstea...@gmail.com>
wrote:
 
Banstead Swifts <banstea...@gmail.com>: Jun 21 08:37AM +0100

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Tony Croft

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Jun 22, 2026, 4:59:44 AM (11 days ago) Jun 22
to swiftslocalnetwork
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
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