UpdateDigest for swiftslocalnetwork@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 1 topic

[Mike Priaulx]

Hi Barbara,

I remember hearing about a case where boxes on the outside of scaffolding were successfully used for one or two seasons, I think it was a historic building in Henley-on-Thames or somewhere like that. I've seen photos from Europe of the same although I don't know if those were successful.

So whilst there's no guarantee it will work, set up a calls system so that's running before the season starts, put the boxes as close to the current position as possible, and I think it's possible!?

Make sure the scaffolding has a sheet type covering and not netting, so birds can't get tangled up and there's less disturbance from the workers.

Also make sure they definitely get the scaffolding & boxes up by April as the schedule often slips.

Possibility of working around the breeding season depends on how long the works will take. If longer then 9 months (if expected to take 9 months, then it's quite likely to take longer!) then it is going to have an impact on a season.

They often prefer to work in summer due to drier weather, but that's not guaranteed any season so that is not really an excuse.

Any other questions feel free to make contact.

All the best,

Mike

Islington and Hackney Swifts Groups

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Update

Digest for swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 1 topic

La Babi <barbara...@gmail.com>: Feb 10 08:46AM

Hi all

 

In need of some advice please. Our HQ, an old Victorian house in need of

repair, was sold to a private company last year and we are in the process

of moving out. There are 10 model 30s on the wall, mostly occupied. I sent

some info material to the company a while ago via our facilities manager,

and they were positive and promised they would look after the swifts during

renovation.

 

Roof renovation will start in April and will last for 9 months. I had a

call from the head of facilities yesterday and the company wants to take

down the old boxes in February so that work doesn’t get delayed, and they

don’t seem to have thought much about mitigation for this breeding season

at all. Their ecologists apparently thought swifts come back in March and

they had no idea that the swifts will literally bang their heads on the

wall trying to find the boxes!

 

Also from what I understand they were planning to add swift bricks at the

back of the building in a ‘more suitable location’ to substitute the boxes

at the front once the roof work was completed, which means of course the

the swifts will not be able to breed at all as the location is too low, so

I suggested to also add nesting solutions at the front, where the current

boxes are. This however will still mean that the swifts will not be able to

breed this year.

 

Our facilities manager proposed to temporarily hang the boxes on the

scaffolding: I don’t understand why the company cannot work around the

swifts breeding times and allow them to nest while the work in the roof is

being carried out…

 

My questions are; would swifts nest in the boxes if they were attached to

scaffolding? And is working around the swifts an achievable thing?

 

Thanks so much for the support with this 🙏🏼

 

Barbara

 

Il giorno sab 7 feb 2026 alle 08:18 La Babi <barbara...@gmail.com> ha

scritto:

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[Mike Priaulx]

Hi again Barbara,

I found the Henley-on-Thames scaffolding project on the Swift Conservation: Our Projects page (maybe Edward knows more about it?)

Here's the link, and do a word search for "Chantry":

https://www.swift-conservation.org/OurProjects.htm

The project's full name is St Mary's Church Chantry House.

All the best,

Mike

[Henry Kenner]

i think Lilynda Huxley in Ireland had a similar succesful use of boxes on scaffolding whilst building work was concluded.

henry

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[La Babi]

Hi all

Thanks for the prompt and useful advice. The boxes will be taken down this Saturday. I too am worried about the builders’ schedule as this often changes; I have mentioned to our facilities manager how time is crucial in this instance, and he said he will relay this to the project manager in charge of the renovation. 

I have found a similar mitigation solution in Mauro Ferri’s archives in Italy (Monumenti Vivi Liguria, a project carried out in the Liguria region by Liguria birding, attaching below). I have requested to speak to the project manager directly, waiting for a reply.

Thanks

Best

Barbara