Eddie Bathgate
@limeypomme.bsky.social
Landowner, genius & pickpocket. Bird watching, cricket and geography. Saving Suffolk’s Swifts. Woodbridge
The first of the 10 Swiftlets here in my camera nest boxes fledged yesterday morning, followed by a sibling this morning. @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social The 3rd chick in this nest box is still being attended by both parents. Swift conservation works #SuffolkBirding
Swift Swift update, now an 8th box here with Swifts going in and out. Very recent I think, if so very unlikely to be breeding but bodes very well for 2027. Less bonkers screaming behaviour this morning, maybe as cooler and cloudy with the breeze. #SuffolkBirding @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social
Great to be able to confirm that the 7th occupied Swift box here does have young, I can now hear quiet chirruping when a parent returns with food. This box was repeatedly banged last year then briefly occupied last July. @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social #SuffolkBirding
Busy with Swifts here this morning, side boxes this time. They are mainly banging the occupied nest boxes though, drawn in by the returning adults flight path & attracted by the nesting noise I think. I’m still playing calls at the back of the house, hopefully they’ll learn to turn another corner.
Over 20 of these (probably) younger non-breeding Swifts looking for a future place to nest screaming around here, trying to work out how to land. This box is unused but a Swift needs to go right in for it to count as such. @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social #SuffolkBirding
Swift update; we’ve now 10 chicks in our 4 camera boxes developing well. 2 other boxes have chicks inside, I can hear them chirping & suspect breeding in a 7th. Max numbers have built up to 15 screaming around the house with 45 up high at dusk, great fun @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social #SuffolkBirding
Quick Swift update; squeaky bum time during the heatwave but my 4 camera nest boxes have 9 young Another 3 boxes have continual activity so nesting is probable, time will tell. I’m still playing calls as more nest bricks and boxes have still to be found @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social #SuffolkBirding
Swift Swift update from here, my Swifts have been extremely quiet. Positivity sneaky around the nest site. 4 pairs are in camera nest boxes sitting on eggs and quietly dodging the rain showers to feed, no screaming about. I’m hoping things liven up with some warmth @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social
Swift #Swift update, class A bonkers with activity this morning. 4 boxes definitely have pairs with 2 other boxes having activity. There’s also Swifts in/out of 2 nest bricks which we slotted into old air bricks after the cavity was insulated. @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @sosswifts.bsky.social
Swift Swift update, nest box fight this morning as an intruder disrupted a pair. The scrape lasted an hour with (I think) one of the pair being ejected. Elsewhere Peasenhall had bonkers Swifts screaming around their Village Hall today, where many pairs nest. @sosswifts.bsky.social #SuffolkBirding
New Swift in, parked up like in Star Wars @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social @sosswifts.bsky.social
Swift update from here. Swifts paired up in 2 camera nest boxes with a single in a 3rd camera box. 2 further Swift boxes have Swifts in and out, no sign that they’re paired up yet. My neighbour has a Swift going into a nest box too, so 6 boxes used in total @sosswifts.bsky.social
Swifts are back here into 3 boxes definitely, a pair in this box and a singles going to roost in anothers. I’ve 3 further Swifts around sometimes so 7 in total around mine, I think
Eddie Bathgate@limeypomme.bsky.social · 4mo agoFirst Swift back home this evening that I know of, having a camera in some of my nest boxes helps. Fingers-crossed for a bonkers 2026 Swift season here @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
First Swift back home this evening that I know of, having a camera in some of my nest boxes helps. Fingers-crossed for a bonkers 2026 Swift season here @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
Another Spotted Flycatcher box up this morning one in a seculded spot on my local patch @limeypomme.bsky.social
Great to see these 12 Swift boxes up on Langer Primary School in Felixstowe, they will be switching on the 240V call system early May to attract in the non-breeding Swifts looking for a future place to nest. We have more Sets to donate @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social
The Bawdsey Manor sea defences were taking a pasting this afternoon, Suffolk.
Suffolk Bird Group have these excellent talks next Thursday 29th, Save Our Suffolk Swifts will be there with nest boxes, we can have a swift Swift chat for guidance in a break. @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social
No joy with finding any owl species at Shingle Street this afternoon but happened upon a big mixed flock of mostly Fieldfare with a few Redwing too @suffolkbirdgroup.bsky.social
A nicely timed low tide this morning in Poole Harbour, before the dog walkers & water sports brigade. Many Oystercatchers & Bar-tailed Godwits with Brent Geese, Sanderlings & Turnstones the best of the rest.
An interesting Australian article about feral cats in an island. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Revered and reviled, cats in the crosshairs on Christmas Island
On a speck of land in the Indian Ocean, one of the world's most ambitious wars is being waged against feral cats. But not everyone is celebrating.
abc.net.au
An interesting Canadian article about migrating birds crashing into windows www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
In just one day, volunteers found hundreds of birds that crashed into GTA buildings | CBC News
More than 300 birds that had crashed into windows across the Greater Toronto Area were found last Wednesday by a volunteer-based organization that finds and keeps records on bird safety. Most did not ...
cbc.ca
An interesting Red Goshawk article here www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Going extinct ‘right under our noses’: the quiet plight of Australia’s rarest bird of prey
Restricted now to the tropical north, the mysterious red goshawk is fast disappearing as a result of climate change and habitat loss
theguardian.com
Still 3 pairs of Swifts in nest boxes here. One in a camera box with 2 young, they relaid after an intruder caused a fight. The other 2 pairs are new, in nest boxes not used previously. I can hear multiple young chirping in each from eggs laid early July. 6 pairs bred in total, 3 pairs in 2024
All was going so well with my Swifts, this box is newly used and now paired up. We’ve had a clueless Swift circling this evening, trying to work out how to land, crashing into the brickwork many times. It has now ended up in with the pair and is getting a beating from both.
As of 2pm this afternoon this Swift nest box now has a pair getting to know each other. This nest box hasn’t hosted Swifts before, did have a wasp nest inside though last year. The neighbouring nest box was used and that pair have yet to arrrive, I’m hoping they still will and they aren’t these ones
