I have been busy today playing in a 7 piece swing band on the veranda of a hotel overlooking Torbay. On return home checked the cam and found, in the brief moments when both birds were out that we now have 2 eggs. Not able to photograph them as at least one swift is in the nest most of the time. Took a short clip.

I was outside last night with 4 swifts screaming round the house while my two were still in the nest. Saw two entering another nest entrance, a nest that’s almost impossible to reach but still not sure were the other two have their nest. Will keep looking.

Wonderful news. Yes an egg has arrived in the nest. Was watching this morning and saw this.

Though it may be an egg so waited until they had both gone out and sneaked in. Managed to get this slightly out of focus picture.

Over the last week they have been out from about 08.30 until 19.30ish. Lots of preening and clearly a close couple. There are 4 swifts flying round the house on a regular basis but as yet have not been able to locate another nest but I am fairly sure there is one. I am a bit disappointed as 3 years ago there were 5 successful nests, last year 4 nests but only two successful and it appears only two nests this year. Lets hope we get another egg or two over the next few days.

The day after they both arrived in the nest they spent most of the day at home. Yesterday they were out all day but today we had heavy rain until about 4pm and they stayed in until the rain stopped. then an hour flying and feeding then back home for the night. I am beginning, with no evidence, to think that this is the same pair from last year. The approach to the nest site is quite difficult having to swerve around a tree so blind to the very small entrance until the very last minute. They are both arriving with such aplomb that I am sure they are not new to this nest.

A short video from this evening showing typical behaviour on the nest.

Great news. Yesterday afternoon there were two swifts in the nest from last year. I will call it the bedroom nest as it is just above our bedroom. I first saw a swift in this nest on the 5th May. For a week or so the swift spent most nights in the nest then last week disappeared. I am therefore unsure if the first swift has been off to find another mate or if this is its original mate who arrived late. From the net swifts are still arriving most colonies still have about 50% to arrive. As they do not see each other between nesting and do not travel together either scenario is possible. The other nest I have a camera on remains empty. This is a bit strange as I have video of two swifts on the nest 2 weeks ago. This is the nest where they ejected two eggs last year. There are at least 4 other swifts flying round the house but I have yet to find if and where they are nesting. A warm dry evening when I can sit outside and watch may help.

Two short clips first one from yesterday showing them both in nest and another one from this morning.

I am not sure what is happening. Yesterday evening, about 18.30 had a brief screaming fly pass with 6 swifts. Last night however both nests were empty all night. Today a brief view of 2 swifts flying high but still both nests remain empty. Nothing else to say at the moment but I will search the loft to see if there is any evidence of any more swifts but I am not feeling very optimistic.

Was quite excited on Friday last when I counted 8 swifts screaming round the house. I have been out a lot but have only seen up to three at one time since then.

Feeling a bit sad at the moment. The camera on last years nest where 2 swifts fledged successfully I have only seen one swift. It is out all day and returns around dusk and stays the night alone. This is particularly sad as I believed that last year. was their first year and I am beginning to believe that one of the pair has not made it back.

A short video from tonight.

The other nest has a new camera. I have had to place the camera further away both to focus and to cover a larger area used by the swifts. I have seen two swifts on this nest but only one for the last two nights. A longer video giving a view of the area where the nest is.

I have been looking out for the return of our swifts for a couple of weeks. We were in Florence for a few days in the middle of April and the morning and evening skies were full of hundreds of swifts. I returned home from a few days grand child sitting this afternoon and the first thing I heard getting out of the car was 4 screaming swifts flying around the house. I have invested in another IP camera so I have both the nests I filmed last year covered. The new camera is a bit too near the nest and is a little out of focus so will need to move it over the next few days. I was delighted to find that the nest with the new camera had 2 swifts in it busily preening each other but only one swift in the main nest from last year. Firstly from the new camera.

From last years camera.