Re: [SLN] Digest for swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com - 7 updates in 4 topics

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Edward Mayer

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May 22, 2026, 4:56:42 AM (yesterday) May 22
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One has to note amidst all this excellent activity that here in London we have no Wildlife Crime officers at all. The Metropolitan Police got rid of their Wildlife Crime team about two years ago. In effect this is far far worse than it seems as it means they can do little about the illegal import / export of protected species any more. They have no specialised advice givers to fall back on. So ivory, rhino horn, spotted cat skins, can travel unimpeded, one assumes. And one of their last really big cases was illegal dog-fighting. They broke up a huge dog-fighting network, with big money involved in betting. Again one has to assume it's thriving again. As for any other sort of crime, well, a friend of mine was attacked in his home and beaten badly by a neighbour incensed at him parking outside his house in the street outside. The Police refused to take any action other than talking to the man. Broken Britain indeed.

On 22-May-26 7:58 AM, swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com wrote:
Banstead Swifts <banstea...@gmail.com>: May 21 10:59PM +0100

Dear all
 
We received an email from the Surrey Police review officer last night
telling us that the wildlife officer had not even looked at her report from
Saturday. We reported the incident on 14/05. She apologised and has now
marked it as urgent and has also emailed. She is not the problem.
 
Incidentally, we'd had a wildlife officer from another police force contact
us confidentially prior to the 14th advising us to report the incident
urgently. So it is curious that Surrey are dragging their feet if this
officer felt it so worthy.
 
We will still be pushing for the Police and CPS to prosecute regardless of
the fact that both birds have now returned, after 3 and 4 days of being
absent.
 
If they do not, we will ask for the written reasons and take further legal
advice from the organisation that offered us this and see what the options
are.
 
Our MP is arranging to meet with the Chief Supt of Surrey Police and is
requesting the building surveys from RHT, which should have been carried
out prior any such works.
 
Barry and I have experience in campaigning and of taking a case to the High
Court for judicial review, with a large NGO representing me.
 
It was at least good to see that Clarion Housing responded quickly to
Burgess Hill Swifts, but it still begs the question: where was the building
survey?
 
Best regards

Ann Dowling <annie.d...@gmail.com>: May 21 11:54PM +0100

So well done, best of luck
 
Ann
Wilbarston Swifts
 
On Thu, 21 May 2026, 23:00 Banstead Swifts, <banstea...@gmail.com>
wrote:
 
Storrington Swifts <storring...@gmail.com>: May 21 05:01PM +0100

Hi Graham,
 
Thanks very much for this. I'd be wanting to find something giving an
overview the approach.
 
Julie
 
Storrington Swifts <storring...@gmail.com>: May 21 01:09PM +0100

We are close to Horsham. I will forward it to Dave Boddington and Paul
Stevens in case they haven't seen it.
 
Julie
Central Arun Valley Swifts and HMs.
 
On Wed, 20 May 2026 at 12:14, swifts&housemartins of Ware <
Banstead Swifts <banstea...@gmail.com>: May 21 08:09AM +0100

Hi All
 
1. Don't wonder why swift numbers are free falling.
 
This time it is Clarion Housing in Burgess Hill Sussex.
 
They are closing eaves and the swifts nests are in them.
 
See the screenshot.
 
I do not know if this group are members here? I have commented on their
page with information.
 
2. Our Surey Police review officer emailed an apology last night: nobody
from the Wildlife and Rural Crime desk has even looked at the report on
nest 1 re: Raven Housing Trust. She has now flagged it as urgent and
emailed them. She is great, the rest has been an appallling process.
 
Reported as a wildlife crime in action on 14/05
 
This has to stop.
 
Best
Annie & Barry

Graham Knight <gpk...@gmail.com>: May 21 08:11AM +0100

Hello Annie and all
 
I have emailed a contact that I have at Clarion, suggesting various urgent
actions including contacting the local Swift group
 
Best wishes
 
Graham
 
On Thu, 21 May 2026 at 08:09, Banstead Swifts <banstea...@gmail.com>
wrote:
 

becky <be...@actionforswifts.com>: May 21 03:07AM -0700

Hi folks
 
Seeing a lot of this at the moment. At AFS we have a contact who heads up
the voluntary Housing Association(HA) Biodiversity Network. She has been in
touch directly with the Sustainability lead at Clarion, who was unaware of
this and has taken action internally. Fingers crossed!
 
We have discussed the requirement for some more awareness raising around
this issue with HA's and she has asked for a brief guidance note / document
that can be circulated around the members (c 60 HA's in UK). We can of
course produce something fresh for this, but I wondered if there was
anything out there that had already been produced for this audience?
 
Thanks
Becky
 
 
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Flora Blackwater

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May 22, 2026, 12:29:48 PM (yesterday) May 22
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Hi Edward

There are no dedicated officers either here in South Yorkshire. It was explained to me that Officers can put themselves forward for wildlife training, so it is at the mercy of interested parties.
Could this be the case in the Met too? Unless they veto the training, given the size of the force, maybe there are some somewhere.
I’ll ask an RSPB investigator that I know.

Best wishes
Flora, Sheffield 

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On 22 May 2026, at 09:56, 'Edward Mayer' via swiftslocalnetwork <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com> wrote:


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T Davies

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May 22, 2026, 4:00:21 PM (yesterday) May 22
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Hi Flora,

The Met Wildlife Crime Unit was deliberately disbanded despite our protests, and officers deployed elsewhere. It was distressing for the officers as well as for us. Just before it was disbanded, a really great Wildlife Officer had helped us by making scaffolders take down a scaffolding that was blocking a nest here. The swifts were immediately able to access the nest.  
Before contacting the Wildlife Crime Unit I had rung 101 and was advised erroneously by someone who answered that the scaffolding took precedence over the swifts and nothing could be done by police and I should contact the council.
A large part of the Wildlife Crime Unit's job had been training the call handlers at 101 but it hadn't seemed to have reached this person!
This year scaffolding went up again and the council helped us by contacting the owners and making sure there was access to the nest for when the Swifts returned, but last year roofing work had happened during the season on that nest I think from the inside, and this year I have seen no Swifts at that nest.

Talya 
Brent and Westminster Swifts
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