Swifts are now on the Red list of conservation concern, having suffered a 62% decline between 1995 and 2021. Swifts are declining due to food shortages (the UK's flying insect population has reduced by 60% in 20 years), and habitat loss. They nest under building eaves and in wall crevices, but repairs and renovation work often destroy these sites. Swifts return to the same nest yearly, making each
site loss significant. Furthermore, being colonial breeders, once a colony is lost it is difficult to establish again. With support from Northumberland Wildlife Trust, we began surveying swift activity in 2023, mapping colonies and submitting data to Swift-Mapper. We found 5 colonies in the Gosforth/Kenton area, one of which is down to 1 pair. In the summer of 2024, we distributed leaflets to residents living in 4 of the colonies to raise awareness and offer free boxes to have on their houses. We installed 34 swift boxes within these 4 colonies to provide new nesting opportunities. The Newcastle Members Branch of the RSPB kindly donated eight boxes, and some residents, including myself, funded more. Our vision is to grow this initiative across Newcastle, finding other colonies and providing boxes to people living in these areas. We aim to foster community connections and conservation pride. The survey work helps people engage with nature, learn about wildlife, and contribute to positive environmental change.
