Great weather. Swifts flying round the house most of the day. It’s very hot in the attic. Chicks doing well. Caught a feed in the bedroom nest.

2 hot tired chicks in the chimney nest.

Will be away for a few days now.

At last some warmth, sunshine and no rain. The swifts are loving it. The chicks are growing rapidly making for very crowded nests at night. Most mornings they are screaming round the house and looking through the conservatory window at least 6 are flying above the house. I have seen a pair, after loads of practice manage to get to a potential nest site about 6 feet from the bedroom nest. It is in an accessible place perhaps for next year. I have also seen one enter another hole in the eves a further 3 feet along the house wall. It may be the same swifts. Time will tell.

The bedroom nest chicks.

And the chimney nest chicks with a parent.

Just had a wonderful summer evening, after rain most of the day. At about 8.45pm there were 7 adult swifts screaming round the house. At the same time I was watching one adult on each nest so in total 9 adult swifts. That’s the highest number so far seen by me this year. The forecast for the week ahead is for hot sunny and humid weather. Perfect for swifts. The chicks are getting bigger and getting feathers on their wings. The nests are getting a bit crowded at night when they are all in. 2 clips from the bedroom nest showing growing chicks.

One from the chimney nest.

Out this morning then heavy rain again this afternoon. Little to report. Chicks healthy and growing. They are blind for the first couple of weeks. The chicks in the bedroom nest are slightly more advanced than the chimney nest chicks and feathers are starting to appear.

Feeding time in chimney nest.

And in the bedroom nest.

Weather still iffy. Lots of rain most of yesterday and this morning. Yesterday evening and the day before a single swift has been flying over and over again trying to get into the attic fairly near the bedroom nest. It’s clearly a non breeder but hope for another nest next year. Whilst he was flying last night there were 4 others but not easy to work out if they were ours.

First clip of feeding time yesterday in the bedroom nest

Second a brief view of the chicks in the chimney nest.

After a little rain first thing a lovely warm sunny day. All 4 chicks appear well and surprisingly, due to weather, are growing fast. I was out most of the day but this evening 2 new swifts flew round the house and were trying to get under the eves close to the bedroom nest. The second wave is now arriving and these may be non breeders looking for a nest site for next year.

First clip is of the chimney nest with a chick poking through the adult wing then as adult moves a view of both chicks.

The second clip is long so I hope it loads. It shows adult arriving and feeding 2 ,maybe 3 chicks in bedroom nest. Not sure yet

Another very cold wet day. Rain stopped about 5pm. I think the adults are struggling. With it being so cold I would not expect the chicks to be left exposed to the cold for long but both nests have been empty of adults for long periods. I think they are having to fly long distances to find food. In bad weather swifts are seen in large numbers over water where more insects will be found. The nearest significant fresh water is over 10 miles away.

A clip of the 2 chicks in the bedroom nest.

Cold and overcast again this morning. The great news is that there are now 2 chicks hatched in both nests. The number of chicks in a nest is usually 2 or 3. Because of the weather I think the adults have had to go farther afield to find food. I think that is why, even though it’s cold I have found both adults out of the nest leaving cold chicks. First clip shows the 2 chicks alone in the chimney nest.

The second clip shows the chicks in the bedroom nest being fed.

Dreadful weather yesterday and not much better today. Cold enough to have to turn on the central heating. 2 swifts on each nest nearly all day. At a change over earlier today saw a tiny chick peeping out from under a wing. Caught a clip which shows a tiny white thing under the wing. 2 seconds before I saw an eager open mouth. I have not seen any feeding so am concerned for the chick.

Here is the clip. Have been watching most of the afternoon but no feeds.

Dreadful weather over the weekend and today torrential rain all day with thunder and lightening. It’s cold as well. For a lot of today all 4 swifts have been in. They look cold fluffing up their feathers and the eggs have been covered all day. They should hatch soon. I hope the weather improves a little so that there will be some food for them.

A short clip from each nest.