Swifts at the Natural History Museum in La Chaud de Fonds, Switzerland

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Edward Mayer

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Oct 3, 2025, 3:14:19 AM (5 days ago) Oct 3
to swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com, Cally Smith

Hi Cally, I do not understand this as how would the Swifts get from the boxes outside the building to crap all over the displays inside the building? Surely they do not open the windows, do they? That would let in insects like clothes moths and dermestid beetles who would soon eat any exposed displays! HOWEVER! The Natural History Museum in La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland was equipped by its former Director with a vast number of nest places for Alpine Swifts who never enter the building. They cannot and do not enter the building. I can introduce you to him, if that would help! Best wishes, Edward

On 10/3/2025 7:58 AM, swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com wrote:
Cally Smith Huntly & District Swift Group <huntlysw...@gmail.com>: Oct 02 07:05AM -0700

Hi everyone
 
i have been asked the following and would like others opinions and case
studies if they have............heres the story:
Our council have earmarked a building to put up some swift nest boxes. I
assume its not a listed building as they have had the local mens shed make
some model 30 style boxes. I would use something different on a LB.
Anyway they are having great difficulty convincing the staff of this
building that the swifts will not fly inside and poop on the museum pieces
inside.
 
I have suggested that almost certainly they are confusing swifts with
swallows which do indeed find their way inside a building. i have offered
a presentation, a chat, etc but to no avail.
 
The council are asking for case studies of swifts (swift provision) on
buildings that house museum type displays to see if there have been any
problems. I have my thoughts on this and feel it is a waste of time as
swifts do not enter a building (unless on a rare occasion there is a way in
or gap etc) so why the need for a case study!
 
Thoughts gratefully received :)
Cally
Dick Newell <dick....@gmail.com>: Oct 02 03:11PM +0100

Hi Cally,
If you play calls near an open upstairs window, you may well find a Swift
on your bed!
My next door neighbour found a Swift in her loo which had flown in through
an open window at the opposite end of the house. It flew off OK.
Dick
 
On Thu, 2 Oct 2025 at 15:05, Cally Smith Huntly & District Swift Group <
Cally Smith <huntlysw...@gmail.com>: Oct 02 03:59PM +0100

Thanks Dick yes there are occasions but although i won't lie to them this
isn't going to help! :)
Cally
 
Cally Smith
*Founder of NES Swifts* (formerly Huntly Swift Group)
 
T: 07411 808 573
E: huntlysw...@gmail.com
Facebook/huntlyswiftgroup | Instagram/huntlyswiftgroup
 
 
*Why not sign up for our free emailed quarterly 'Saving the Aviators'
newsletter. Get in touch!*
 
 
Mike Priaulx <michael...@yahoo.com>: Oct 02 02:09PM +0100

Hi Louise/ all,
 
I'm happy to contact Arx Naturalis as I have done previously after meeting them at a conference -
 
they have already amended their range after discussions with SLN members.
 
I will make contact next week unless someone else wishes to.
 
All the best,
Mike
 
Member of SLN Swifts & Planning Group
 
+++
 
Louise at Bolton and Bury Swifts <super...@outlook.com>: Oct 01 07:31AM
 
Hi All,
 
The box does look good (it's copied a lot of the Peak Box features) but, as has been pointed out, it is restricted to being placed under deep and sturdy eaves! Not many properties have these. Does anybody want to feed back our conclusions to the company and the issues if the box is installed other than under deep eaves? I think we should but not sure how well received it will be!
 
Louise
 
Bolton and Bury Swifts
https://www.facebook.com/BoltonAndBurySwifts
 
[signatureImage]
timothynorriss <t...@norriss.me>: Oct 02 05:22AM -0700

Hi all
 
You can read our latest blog about Swifts at Idsworth Church here
https://www.hampshireswifts.co.uk/post/swifts-at-st-hubert-s-church
 
Cheers
Tim
Hampshire Swifts
Edward Mayer <edward...@zen.co.uk>: Oct 02 09:09AM +0100

Hi Cally, Actually it was really easy at both sites. After years of
trying to get nest boxes onto the Houses of Parliament and Westminster
Abbey, and failing despite excellent contacts, I was delighted when the
Westminster Abbey Choir School proposed nest boxes themselves, and
bought them too! They are the ones made in Ireland, the name escapes me
for the moment. Very robust looking! As for Cholmley Gardens. I knew
there was a really good Swift population nesting in the roofs as I had
surveyed it for the BTO Atlas. When we moved there I found that they
already had two RSPB nest boxes up and were planning for more. I
procured about another 35 nest boxes and had them put up in the light
wells. They are John Stimpson's, Impeckables, and Action for Swifts
types. We think that some Swifts have started to use them. Really
cheering isn't it! All the best, Edward
 
Cally Smith Huntly & District Swift Group <huntlysw...@gmail.com>: Oct 02 02:56AM -0700

Fabulous thank you Edward for the info and well done. I do remember you
trying the Houses of Parliament. I think it is Genesis nest boxes in
Ireland. They are very substantial and look great painted up! It is
brilliant how this success story came about thanks to the choir folk!
A funny story for you.....i read the article on the Abbey and thought to
myself it would make a good case study for someone asking me about swifts
on listed/old buildings etc. The ridiculous problem i have on this one is
that the staff at this building are insisting that swifts will fly in to
the building and poop all over the museum artifacts. Now i have suggested
they are confusing with swallows that might fly in and NOT swifts. Then
further down the article the chap was saying that a swift came in and flew
round his living room!!!!! Aaagghh!!! So funny!
Cally
 
On Thursday, October 2, 2025 at 9:09:08 AM UTC+1 Edward Mayer - Swift
Conservation wrote:
 
Machynlleth & District Swift Group <machs...@gmail.com>: Oct 02 11:40AM -0100

Hi Edward,
 
Are the swift boxes from Ireland the ‘Genesis’ make? We have put a double
chambered box on the local Coop. Sturdy and solid and a good box but you
can’t get into them to clean them.
 
Regards
Elfyn
 
On Thu, 2 Oct 2025 at 08:56, Cally Smith Huntly & District Swift Group <
Cally Smith Huntly & District Swift Group <huntlysw...@gmail.com>: Oct 02 01:55AM -0700

Hi Alistair and all.
I think your generic statement is excellent and would work if you have your
council on board. I am lucky to have built a good relationship with our
planners but still it doesnt mean it all goes our way!
 
On the subject i do not want to have a go at ecologists and there really
are some excellent ones out there but, in general terms they are not
qualified to understand the habits of swift, swallow or martin and goodness
knows they cannot be expected to know the ins and outs of every creature
though having said that there are many ecology firms that give a big list
of species they will survey but mostly never swifts i might add. IF the
ecologists do not know how to mitigate or even survey then they should
perhaps ask for the expertise of local groups. Just because many of us do
this for free doesn't mean we are not knowledgeable or credible!
Another problem is the planning system of course. I have found many
building surveys are commissioned by ecologists when there aren't swifts
about or at least not so easily recognised as nesting on the building or
nearby. ie: wrong months of the year. I have come across a few situations
where i know there are swifts nesting but they weren't recognised by the
ecologist, because either wrong time of year or the ecologist didn't
understand the clue that low flying swifts might indicate nearby
occupancy. ie: recorded only as spotted if recorded at all. They are
doing bat surveys most of the time and even with all the equipment they use
these days i think it must be difficult to do a proper swift survey! We
add our records to the planning system so they flag up but we are a handful
of people, how can we possibly cover it all!
 
Another problem i come across is when i have actually got to starting a
conversation with building owners about their HMs, swifts whatever, offered
help and guidance when the time comes knowing they will soon propose some
works and then 6 months down the line, planning goes in, they get the
ecologist on board and expect the ecologist to know and cover everything i
have spoken about. Door shut. Happens all the time and unless you get a
chance to contact the said ecologist and are given the opportunity to help,
the mitigation doesn't always happen at all or isn't always successful
through lack of knowledge. Some ecologist will take offence at being
contacted too! I didn't want to have a go but i have done!
 
Who knows the answer. It's a mess tbh and swifts should be better catered
for by now.
Cally
On Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at 9:21:52 PM UTC+1
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Cally Smith Huntly & District Swift Group

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Oct 3, 2025, 6:42:46 AM (5 days ago) Oct 3
to swiftslocalnetwork
Hi Edward This is exactly what i needed to hear!!  I asked the SLN folk this question because the staff at the building concerned will NOT seemingly believe me that swifts do not enter the building and they dont believe the council person involved either.   I offered a presentation/chat, I said that i didnt feel it to be a useful exercise looking for case studies because they are not actually of any relevance here!   I ended by saying to the council person as politely as poss that if this was my decision i would better spend my time on people who would listen to those who know the habits of the bird concerned and these people are obviously not listening!   Find another building i say!!!!  I do get pretty peeved when i know 100% that they are confusing with swallows who can easily fly in through an open door and poop everywhere!  Ridiculous really - i wanted to hear from others that i wasn't missing something :)  I could say that i have consulted Edward Mayer of Swift Conservation and he agrees with me - that should surely do it.  Many thanks Edward!
Cally

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