Tuesday 15 May 2012

SOS - Help the swifts

New Milton Housing Estate in Hampshire has been home for over 25 years to a large colony of swifts (around 50 pairs). Following the installation of anti-pigeon spikes to deter house martins, this colony is under immediate threat of destruction. Find out more at the links below:

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/9136897.Anti_pigeon_spikes_put_colony_of_swifts_at_risk/

http://www.swift-conservation.org/news.htm

The swifts have now started to return and are trying to gain access to their blocked nests. Many birds have already flown into the netting and help is needed now before it is too late! These spikes have been known to fatally injure swifts trying to find access to their holes.

Having flown thousands of miles, crossing the Sahara and facing many perils along the way, it is heartbreaking to think their journey will end here so needlessly.

We can stop this now. Please email contact@nfdc.gov.uk to tell them that swifts are iconic birds that are suffering due to lack of nest sites and that New Forest Council should be helping them by supplying them with nest bricks (nesting boxes in the shap of bricks that can be incorporated into buildings) rather than keeping them out of  their nest sites.

You may want to refer the New Forest Cuncil to the Edinburgh Council briefing on Swifts and Development.

As ever, text in red contains hyperlinks that take you to other webpages where you can find out more and take action.

6 comments:

Ms Sparrow said...

The thought of those poor birds fighting to get into their nesting sites is so upsetting! I hope that clearer minds prevail and very soon!

Dartford Warbler said...

This is disgusting, especially on the edge of the New Forest where you would imagine people would care more about wild birds. This is in my area so I will write some stiff e mails tomorrow. Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

eileeninmd said...

How sad! I hope the swifts are saved. It seems like something could be done instead of blocking them. You are doing great, just by making people aware of what is happening.

Anonymous said...

Omg that is awful! Hope action taken will prevent further damage. People can be so selfish - our new Premier of the State has jsut announced that he want people to have the right to shoot flying foxes (which are protected native species) because they are noisy and smelly - unbelievable.

RG said...

I hope lots of folks help this out ...

Sallie (FullTime-Life.com said...

Oh I hope this works -- so sad. It must help that you and others are working on the awareness!