Monday 25 May
The start of warmer weather last week brought many swifts back on the southerly winds and it was noticeably busier looking from outside the tower with screaming parties in full swing. Inside today, on what is predicted to be the hottest day in May on record, our findings confirmed that the swifts are back in greater numbers and have immediately got down to breeding. We now have 36 boxes occupied and found 56 birds on the nest (20 in pairs and 16 single birds). We counted 38 eggs but records from last week suggest there are more that were obscured by adults sitting tight.
Monday 18 May
After a cool week with northerly winds it has been a slow start to the season with birds returning to occupy their nest boxes more slowly than we had hoped. Today we found only 21 boxes occupied with 23 birds on the nest and 16 eggs evident. As the wind is predicted to turn to a more southerly direction and temperatures are forecast to rise in the coming week we hope that more birds will return and that their numbers increase.
Monday 11 May
The weather was cool and overcast today in Oxford but the last week has seen Swifts returning in increasing numbers and the screaming parties around the tower were in full swing from early in the morning despite the cold weather. Although many adults were on the wing we still managed to count 19 birds on the nest and now have at least 8 eggs.
Monday 4 May
It was cool and overcast this week as we climbed the tower to survey the swifts and clearly not inviting enough for many of our first returning birds to be out on the wing. We found fourteen birds on the nest, twelve of them already in pairs and two single birds presumably awaiting the return of their partners or whose partners enjoy a bracing early morning flap whatever the weather! The temperatures are expected to rise this week, which should see more birds returning and more activity around the tower from earlier in the morning.
Thursday 23 April
Great news for all you swift-watchers and diary readers! Swifts were seen around the tower today, an early return presumably prompted by the warm sunny weather.
