Local Group Bromley’ s Swifts

The report of the first RSPB Bromley Swift Survey in 2018 March 2019 title

Ben Andrew

Ben AndrewBen

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In this report…  Find Find out outhow how local local citizen citizen scientists scientists stepped stepped upup forfor swifts

 Discover Discover Bromley’s Bromley’s swift swift hotspots hotspots  Learn how you can help our swifts thrive 1  Learn how you can help save our swifts

Roger Wyatt (Swifts Local Network) Local (Swifts Wyatt Roger

Swifts are the sound of summer but they need our help…

Introducing swifts

Swifts are the Olympians of will be to feed to replenish the nine months. Young swifts the animal world. No other energy lost during their epic sometimes fly non-stop for an bird can reach such fast migration. They will then meet entire three years, landing only speeds in level flight or up with their mate for life at the when mature enough to breed. travel for years without same nest site where they nested in previous years. touching down. They travel down through France and Spain. By late They are sociable birds and August they will be feeding Swifts are strictly urban birds like to nest in close proximity to over the jungles of the Congo. so there’s no need to travel each other. Located high up in Around Christmas they will long distances to a faraway the nooks and crannies under push on further south to nature reserve to admire them. our eaves or roof tiles, the nest Mozambique, close to the They nest in our buildings, is a simple little cup made from Indian Ocean, 6,000 miles from under the eaves or loose roof material they find floating in the Bromley. In late January they tiles. Their fast, acrobatic flight air. This aerial flotsam is glued begin the long journey back to and piercing calls are a together using saliva. our borough. quintessential part of warm summer days. Swifts normally lay two or three It is estimated that swifts fly an eggs. They hatch in early June average daily total of 500 miles A swift’s year and the first young leave their or more than 1.24 million miles nests in mid-July. They only in their lifetime. That’s equal to Swifts are one of our longest stay with us long enough to the moon and back – five distance migrants. They arrive breed. By late July or early times! They do everything on back in the UK in late April or August they will migrate south, the wing – eat, drink, sleep and early May. Their first priority flying non-stop for the next even mate in the air.

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Swifts in trouble have now all but vanished from the area as new buildings replaced the old ones. Sadly, renovations to roofs and modern building designs mean This steep and steady decline that there are fewer nest sites means that swifts are heading for swifts now. Swifts eat for the Red list. Unless we take airborne insects and these are action now there’s a danger we also much scarcer too, in large might lose them altogether part due to changes in farming from Bromley’s towns. practices. Recent research has shown huge declines in global Figure 1. Data from the British insect numbers threatening not Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) We can all play a part helping just swifts but many of our Breeding Bird Survey shows a give swifts a brighter future and 58% decline in Greater ’s other birds, other animals, we share our top tips later in plants and our whole life- swifts since 1995 this report. The area where we, support system. as individuals and as a group, the numbers of swifts in our can have the biggest impact is skies today compared to the by protecting and increasing Taken together, these two mid-1990s (see Figure 1). their nesting places. If we can factors have caused swift make sure that wherever numbers to decline. Swifts are During our survey in 2018 local possible new buildings contain now on the Amber list of birds people told us with sadness specially designed swift bricks of conservation concern in the about how rarely they see (bricks that contain cavities in UK following a decline of 53% swifts in the Bromley borough which swifts can nest) and fit between 1995 and 2016. compared to in days gone by. swift boxes on existing We learned that the area buildings, swifts will have Their numbers have fallen by around Bromley South train places to breed in future years. 58% in over station used to be a swift the same period. This means stronghold as recently as that there are fewer than half twenty years ago, but that they The aims of our survey

The first step to saving Finding out this information in areas where there are no or Bromley’s swifts is to work means that existing swift few swifts. out where they are still colonies can be saved from nesting. Without this crucial being lost during renovations In early 2018 the RSPB information, we wouldn’t or demolition. Bromley Local Group decided know where to focus efforts to launch the first RSPB on safeguarding their Just as importantly, Bromley Swift Survey in the existing nests and creating discovering Bromley’s swift summer of that year. The aim hotspots will reveal the places was to gather vital information new ones. where it will be most effective about where swifts are nesting, to create new swift nesting that can be used to target Before the 2018 survey we sites. As swifts prefer to nest in conservation work. In the were in the dark about our close proximity with each process, we wanted to inspire borough’s swifts. There was other, creating new nest sites Bromley’s residents about very little information available in areas where there are these fascinating birds and about where they are still already swifts is likely to be build a community of people nesting in our borough – no more effective in increasing our who would be able to help more than a handful of swift population than doing this save them. scattered records.

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How the survey worked

Our Bromley Swift Survey Timing of survey Swifts that were high flying or followed a standard flying over open areas such as methodology that was visits fields, parks, open countryside, developed by scientists in lakes and waterways were to the RSPB to find breeding We asked surveyors to walk be ignored. This is because any such birds would probably swift colonies. along all of the public access roads in their square and be feeding, and it is known that record potential swift breeding swifts often feed many miles This methodology had been activity at least once a month from their nest sites. High successfully used by the RSPB in May, June and July, with flying swifts could be nesting to identify swift hotspots in recommended earliest and as far away as Germany. Brighton in 2016 and 2017. latest dates of 12 May and 26 (rspb Ben Andrew July respectively, as this Survey squares comprises the main period of nesting activity.

- We divided the London images.com) Borough of Bromley into survey As the peak times of swift squares of 500m x 500m, activity near nest sites are the based on the Ordnance Survey two hours after dawn and the (OS) Grid, and allocated them two hours before sunset, it was recommended that survey These low-flying swifts would to our volunteer swift be recordable. They are likely walks take place during this surveyors. A square of this size to be nesting nearby could generally be surveyed in period. In practice this meant around 45 minutes. that most survey walks took place in the evening. Survey forms The squares’ boundaries were not always neat with respect to Surveys were only to be the roads. Sometimes the carried out on dry, still days as Surveyors were asked to boundary of a square might run swifts may stop visiting their complete two forms: through the middle of a road, nests during periods of poor so that one side of the road weather. Incredibly, swift eggs 1. Survey Visit Recording would be inside the square, can survive without incubation Form and the other outside. Also and chicks can go into a state of semi-torpor for several days. there were cases where in The surveyor completed this order to access a road within a for each survey visit. In square a participant would What were surveyors addition to recording the need to follow a route that took location details and a count of them outside of the square. looking for? swifts seen, participants were asked to record swift behaviour This meant that we asked As swifts nest almost under the following categories: surveyors to report any swift exclusively in buildings, activity seen in the course of a participants were asked to only  Low Flying Party: Swifts survey visit, even if it occurred record swifts seen at or just flying around roof height in outside of their square’s above or below roof height the vicinity of buildings. boundary. near to buildings. These low- flying swifts are likely to be nesting nearby so any records  Screaming: Swifts heard We only allocated squares that of this behaviour are a good screaming as they fly past. included at least some indication that there are buildings, as only these would nesting swifts in the area. contain swift breeding sites.  Arcs: Where any swift

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comes within 1–2 metres of group of swifts will fly past buildings, often under the a building. This flying habit and several of them will eaves. is called an arc. Sometimes bang. If the nest is arcing is followed by a swift occupied they will be seen 2. Nest Location Recording entering a nest site. off with loud screams from Form the residents. Sometimes  Bangers: Swifts without juvenile birds will do this to The surveyor completed this if nests fly up to possible nest identify potential nest sites a swift nest site was holes and ‘bang’ or touch for the following year. discovered. It was only the place with their wings. necessary to record a nest site They are investigating the  Entering / Leaving Nest: once on this form, even if availability of nest places. Swifts entering or leaving swifts were seen entering or Sometimes they do this nest sites. These may be leaving on multiple occasions. alone and sometimes a nest boxes or holes in

Finding our surveyors

The survey was widely covered in the local press, including in the Bromley Times on 12 April 2018

It was important to us that This was partly because we A more limited survey would the Bromley Swift Survey had a large area to cover – the not have reached as many was run as a citizen science London Borough of Bromley is people, meaning that we would survey in which everyone the largest borough in London. not have been able to build a could participate. strong, borough-wide We could have chosen to focus movement of people to take only on the town of Bromley forward swift conservation This would help us achieve our but this would have meant we work after the survey finished. aims of gathering as much learned nothing about the As swifts are entirely information about our swifts as swifts that are nesting in other dependent on our houses to possible and enthusing a wide parts of the borough, for nest, the future survival of the audience about our amazing example in , species in large part rests in swifts. or . our hands. It’s up to us as a

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local community to work with We cast the net far and wide to them an article for their others, whether that is the find as many surveyors as newsletters and a poster council, developers or home- possible from across the for their noticeboards. owners, to increase the nesting borough. Here’s a few of the We’re grateful to the many places that are available to ways we spread the word: groups that helped us swifts. As BBC Wildlife promote the survey. magazine wrote in June 2018,  Many members of the “Nature reserves don’t save RSBP Bromley Local  Survey organiser, Peter swifts; people do”. Group signed up to take Smart, visited a number of part using sign-up forms community groups to talk to Luckily, swifts lend themselves during our wildlife talks on them about the survey and to a citizen science survey. the second Wednesday of to sign up surveyors. They are a species that nest the month and on our right alongside us in our streets coach trips. We also used  We posted a vacancy for so we can survey for them in our Group’s website and Bromley Swift Surveyors on our local area. They are Facebook page to promote the RSPB’s volunteering distinctive birds with scythe- the survey. webpage and arranged for shaped wings, acrobatic flight an email to be sent to and unique screaming calls,  We contacted the 2,000 RSPB supporters in making them relatively easy to borough’s Friends of Parks the Bromley borough, identify. It also helps that they Groups, Residents inviting them to take part. are most active in the Associations and other evenings, in the two hours groups (for example before dusk, which is a time  We contacted the local Bromley Friends of the that would be convenient for press and were successful Earth) to ask if they could most people to go for a walk in in getting coverage in the let their members know their local area to look for Bromley News Shopper, about the survey. We sent them. Bromley Times and the Bromley Borough News.

How many surveyors? In total 228 squares of 500m most places in between. We x 500m were allocated to estimate that the total amount 122 volunteer swift of time spent by surveyors From 16 to 23 June surveyors. We also received making observations in their 2018, the UK became ad-hoc sightings from squares was an incredible 600 the first country in the hours. world to dedicate a another 4 squares. national week to helping The parts of the borough that swifts. Local swift With so many surveyors we were covered by our surveyors groups across the UK were able to cover a large area are shown in Figure 2. In total organised around 100 of the borough. Wherever the survey covered a events. During the possible, we allocated staggering 57 km2. The area of week, Liz Anderson, one surveyors the square that of our volunteer swift the London Borough of contained their home address. Bromley is 150 km2, of which surveyors, led two well- If that wasn’t free, we gave the we estimated that around half attended evening swift

surveyor a nearby square. comprises farmland and other walks around her square open areas unsuitable for in the Eden Park area of Volunteers came forward to swifts to nest in. Therefore Beckenham. The swifts survey their local area from all roughly 75% of the area of the put on a good show with parts of Bromley, from borough that was suitable for Duringboisterous our survey screaming in 2018 in the north to swifts to nest in was covered manyparties local speeding people told us with in the south – and by the survey. sadnessthrough about the balmyhow rarely they midsummer dusk air.

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Figure 2. The London Borough of Bromley divided into 500m x 500m squares. The dark purple squares were allocated to a swift surveyor. The light purple squares were not allocated to a surveyor. 7

The results

Figure 3. Records of low-flying swifts (shown by black marks) in the London Borough of Bromley in 2018

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Our 122 swift surveyors addition, low-flying swifts were Figure 3 shows high have been able to identify reported directly to the RSPB’s concentrations of low-flying the borough’s hotspots for national swift survey website at swift sightings in several breeding swifts. 18 further locations within the locations in the borough. borough. The maps below show the Low-flying swifts The location of all these locations of low-flying swifts in sightings of low-flying swifts more detail in the areas where Surveyors reported a total of are shown by the small black we received the highest 252 sightings of low-flying squares in Figure 3. The number of sightings (Figures 4 swifts at 162 different locations boundary of the London to 7). (based on 8-digit OS grid Borough of Bromley is shown references) in the borough. In in red.

Figure 4. Records of low-flying swifts in Crystal Palace, , , and Eden Park in 2018. Each location at which low-flying swifts were seen is marked by a small black square. This map shows the area in the London Borough of Bromley where the most low-flying swifts were seen by our surveyors. The road in Eden Park with multiple sightings is Derrick Road. This was the road that contained the most recorded swift nest sites. Our surveyor for this area provides more information later in the report.

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Figure 5. Records of low-flying swifts in Bromley, and Plaistow in 2018

Figure 6. Records of low-flying swifts in in 2018

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Figure 7. Records of low-flying swifts in Orpington, and Farnborough in 2018. Low- flying swifts were frequently recorded in the village of Green Street Green, especially around Vine Road. Several sightings of low-flying swifts were also received along Warren Road, Repton Road and in the area around Orpington train station.

Nesting swifts Road Number of swift nests Surveyors also reported nests Derrick Road, Eden Park 7 at 49 different addresses in the borough. In addition a further Anerley Park, Penge 3 four nests were reported directly to the RSPB’s national swift survey website. Repton Road, Orpington 3

The roads containing the most Station Road, Penge 2 swift nests are listed in Table 1. Warren Road, Orpington 2 The locations of all 53 nest sites are shown on the map in Wiverton Road, Penge 2 Figure 8.

Table 1. The roads that contained the most recorded swift nest sites in 2018

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Figure 8. Records of swift nest sites in the London Borough of Bromley in 2018

Age of buildings

Surveyors were asked to estimate the age of buildings where swift nests were found using the following categories:  Pre-1919  1919–1944  1945–1964  1965–1979  1980–1994  1995–2009  2010 & later

The results are shown in

Figure 9. Only three nests (6%) were found in buildings built in Figure 9. Pie chart showing the number of buildings 1945 or later. containing a swift nest within the age categories

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March 2019

David Wood

A swift over Derrick Road in Eden Park, photographed by David Wood on our guided swift walk in June 2018 The swifts of Eden Park

The survey has revealed were very productive. They below the roof. This is called many of the most important were adjacent squares situated ‘banging’. Apparently swifts do places for nesting swifts in between the green spaces of this to check if a potential nest the London Borough of Croydon Road Recreation hole is occupied or not. Bromley. A key stronghold is Ground, Crease Park and On my second visit, only a few Stanhope Grove Playing Fields days later, there was much in the Eden Park area of in the Eden Park area of more activity, with screaming Beckenham. Our swift Beckenham. Many of the swifts just above roof level and surveyor for the area, Liz houses had been built at the a low-flying party of seven. By Anderson, tells us what she same time, about 1930, mainly 23 May there were low-flying found. terraces and semi-detached parties in several roads, mainly houses. Groveland Road, Derrick Early in 2018 I was allocated Road, Cherry Tree Walk and three squares in the RSPB My first visit was in mid-May Merlin Grove. Bromley Swift Survey. One of and I started one and a half these was the square where I hours before sunset. For the Then came the difficult part, live. I wasn’t very hopeful for first 20 minutes I saw nothing, trying to identify exactly which finding low-flying swifts in this then I saw the first swifts, six houses had swifts nesting in square as I had never seen flying very high, 10 minutes them, without looking as any before, only two or three later another 10, still flying though I was checking out their very high fliers at a time. My high. security systems! lack of optimism was proved right – I didn’t find any low- It then went quiet but 10 As dusk approached I noticed flying swifts in this square. minutes after sunset a single that the swifts started to fly swift approached a house and lower, then speed round in However my other two squares touched it three times, just screaming arcs and then one

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might peel off into a nest hole. people. On one of the public has noted that the early This happens so quickly that walks, a lady invited us into her departures were often during you can so easily miss it. garden to watch her very hot spells. neighbour’s swifts but It was therefore very useful unfortunately we didn’t see From her dates we can see when I did the two public walks them that night. Another lady that the swifts in the area arrive around the area during Swift said she had been watching approximately a week before Awareness Week in mid-June them for years, adding that they start checking out the that there were lots of pairs of when she was younger she nesting sites on Derrick Road, eyes watching and pointing out called them ‘those mad birds’! which happens during the first which houses had nests. I think two weeks in May. most people did see at least I also met a lady who was so one bird enter or leave a nest. fascinated by swifts that she They leave in the first two It was a pleasure to lead had been recording significant weeks in August. Swifts may people round listening and dates and these are shown in be seen after mid-August but watching for swifts on dry Table 2 and Figure 10 below. are most likely birds from summer evenings. further north or late nesters on The variation in arrival and their way south. While I was surveying my departure dates seems to tie in squares I met some lovely with weather patterns and she

Year First sighting in the First sighting in Last sighting in the Eden Park area Derrick Road (May) area (August) (May)

1998 8 5 1999 7 4 2000 5 7 9 2001 5 8 6 2002 2 12 11 2003 2 6 8 2004 7 9 2005 6 15 8 2006 3 17 2007 10 8 2008 3 4 2009 5 9 4 2010 12 3 2011 6 4 2012 2 13 7 2013 7 15 8 2014 8 10 1 2015 7 10 3 2016 5 7 6 2017 6 3 2018 7 12 1

Table 2. Dates of swift arrivals and departures recorded by a local resident between 1998 and 2018. The local resident recorded the date on which she saw her first swift of the year in the Eden Park area, the date on which she saw her first swift of the year in Derrick Road and the date on which she saw a swift for the last time in the Eden Park area that year.

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Changes in swift arrivals and departures in Eden Park

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Date in May August / May in Date 0 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 Year

First sighting in Derrick Road (May) Last sighting in the Eden Park area (August) Linear (First sighting in Derrick Road (May)) Linear (Last sighting in the Eden Park area (August))

Figure 10. Scatter graph showing changes in swift arrival and departure dates in Eden Park from 1998 to 2018. The arrival date has remained similar to the date 20 years ago but swifts are now tending to leave earlier in August. What have we learned?

Swifts are in rapid decline. were undocumented before our A swift colony was also found To be able to help them we survey. in the area around Orpington need to know where they train station. We were told by are still nesting but before We now know that the main locals that swifts have nested our Bromley Swift Survey in stronghold for breeding swifts, in this area for decades but or ‘swift hotspot’, is in the north that numbers appear to have 2018 we knew little about west part of the borough, in the declined. their nesting colonies in the area around Crystal Palace, borough. Penge and Anerley, and in the In the south of Orpington, March 2019 Elmers End and Eden Park Repton Road and Warren Bromley’s swift areas in Beckenham. Road contain several swift nests. Low-flying swifts were hotspots Another hotspot is the area to seen in Farnborough village the north of Bromley, around and there is a thriving swift Our surveyors have made a Bromley Park and Plaistow, colony in Green Street Green. major contribution to swift close to Downham, and in Wandering around the village conservation in Bromley. By Mottingham. in high summer is a wonderful walking around their survey experience! squares in May, June and July, Swift hotspots were also and reporting sightings of low- uncovered in the Orpington Swift colonies were also found flying or nesting swifts, they area to the south east of the dotted across the borough, for have shed new light on where borough. Low-flying swifts and example in Shortlands, , these endangered birds can swift nests were found in St Paul’s Cray, Spring Park still be found nesting. Through Southborough and Petts Wood, and Biggin Hill. their work we have discovered to the north west of Orpington. colonies of breeding swifts that

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March 2019

Figure 11. The average age of properties in the London Borough of Bromley (Greater London Authority Data Store). The Greater London Authority cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of the data.

What do the hotspots gaps for swifts to nest. The no access to the eaves for houses in Derrick Road in them to nest. This is likely to have in common? Eden Park were built in this be due to a combination of a period. Our surveyors found large proportion of the As shown in Figure 11, the swift colonies in Southborough properties being built after strongholds for swifts in the and Petts Wood but not as 1945, when building methods north west and north of the many as in the north west and changed resulting in new borough contain the borough’s north of the borough. It may be builds no longer having oldest housing. Much of the that the original designs of the accessible eaves, and housing here was built in the buildings in this area were not extensive modernisation of 1930s or earlier, with as accessible to swifts or housing (e.g. new roofs). significant areas of housing perhaps more property owners dating back to the Victorian era have inadvertently blocked North–south divide and from 1900 to 1930. These swift nesting places by carrying older buildings are more likely out renovations. to contain the small nooks and Almost all of the low-flying crannies under the eaves that Orpington contains large areas swifts were found in the these birds need to nest. of post-1945 housing, as northern half of the borough, to shown in Figure 11. Our the north of the A232 / A21, This is reinforced by Figure 9 surveyor found that swifts were with the exception of a few in above. Despite Bromley having largely absent from these parts the Spring Park area of West relatively little pre-1919 of the town. However, the town Wickham and in Biggin Hill. housing compared to more also contains areas of housing central London boroughs, 11 of from the 1930s and it was in The vast majority of the the 49 swift nests discovered these areas that swift colonies southern half of Bromley is by our surveyors were in were discovered. open countryside, made up of buildings built before 1919. woods and farmland. Much of it It is clear from Figure 3 that was excluded from our survey Figure 11 shows that the Petts there are areas of housing in because it does not contain the Wood and Southborough areas the borough that support no, or housing that is needed for are mostly made up of 1930s very few, swifts. Some of the swifts to nest in. housing. Housing built in this housing in these areas is likely period is also likely to contain to be unsuitable for swifts, with

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This countryside is dotted with year of a citizen science survey Birdwatchers from all over the small villages. Although we did of such a large area. However, UK and Ireland send lists of the not have surveyors covering all it is likely that there are swift birds they have encountered to of these villages, the villages colonies in some of the the British Trust for that we surveyed did not unsurveyed areas. The areas Ornithology’s BirdTrack. Figure appear to host nesting swifts. where we did not have a 12 shows the percentage of surveyor are shown in Figure 2 these species lists that contain (areas where there is no swifts. The red line is the The importance of housing are excluded from the historical percentage and the colonies survey). blue line is the percentage in 2018. In this first survey, we wanted Swifts are sociable birds and to make it easy to take part so As would be expected for a prefer to nest in close proximity that we could find as many bird in decline, the 2018 March 2019 to each other, forming surveyors as possible from sightings are lower than the screaming parties with their across Bromley. This meant historical sightings but 2018 neighbours at dusk, before that we asked surveyors to appears to have been a disappearing into each of their carry out a survey once a particularly bad year for swifts. nests. month between May and July. There were reports of poor It is possible that a surveyor for weather conditions in the Our survey found plentiful a square that contained Mediterranean holding up their evidence of this behaviour nesting swifts did not migration, with swifts seen across the borough, with large encounter them during their arriving over the RSPB’s screaming parties, sometimes three visits. The swifts could Rainham Marshes reserve of 20 or more birds. Derrick have been away feeding or much later than normal. This Road, not much more than already in the nest at the time means that there will have 250m long, contains at least of the survey being carried out been swifts that nest in the seven swift nests. or the surveyor might have borough that did not make it narrowly missed a low-flying back to their nest in 2018 but Protecting these colonies by swift in one part of their square they may return in future years. making sure that these birds while surveying another part. will continue to have somewhere to nest will be vital. Our surveyors found 49 swift Creating more places for swifts nests. This will only be a small to nest using swift nest boxes fraction of the total swift nests on existing buildings and in the borough. As our installing swift bricks in new surveyors told us, it is difficult buildings in and around the to see a swift entering or swift hotspots that our survey leaving a nest during a walk has discovered could help around a survey square. The increase swift numbers in birds arrive at and depart their Figure 12. Swift reporting rate for 2018, compared to historical these key areas. Swifts are nests at astonishing speeds so rate (BTO) more likely to colonise new to observe this often involved nesting places if there are the surveyor watching low- Carrying out more swift already swifts in the area. flying swifts closely, sometimes surveys will help to fill in these over several evenings, and a gaps and will reveal more The need for more large slice of luck! areas that are important for nesting swifts. Priorities for surveys Swift numbers fluctuate year future surveys will include on year, depending on the surveying the areas of housing We estimate that our surveyors weather conditions that they that were not covered in 2018 covered around 75% of the face during their migration. and also focusing in more areas where swifts may be This means that a survey detail on our known hotspots to nesting in the borough. This is carried out in a single year find more nests. exceptionally high for the first cannot find every swift.

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How you can help swifts Swifts are one of our most 2. Take part in our encourage the owner to install urban birds. This means that a swift brick or nest box. Email we can all give them a 2019 survey us to request a flyer. helping hand. If you took part in our 2018 You can get swift nest boxes survey – thanks very much for Here are our top tips for how from as little as £14 and your help. It would be great if you can give these birds a downloadable swift calls for £2. you could take part again this brighter future in Bromley: Visit swift-conservation.org year. Swift numbers fluctuate

from one year to the next so 4. Create a swift cafe 1. Join our team of having another year of data will swift conservation help us form a more complete in your garden March 2019 picture. We’ll also be looking to volunteers extend the survey into areas of Swifts feed their chicks on the borough that we didn’t insects, and so do lots of other We’re putting together a group cover last year and we need all birds. Planting nectar-bearing of volunteers to act as the help we can get. plants is a great way to help community ambassadors for urban wildlife of all kinds, our swifts. They will keep an If you didn’t take part in 2018 – including insect-eating swifts. eye on recent planning please do join in this year. Try bug-friendly plants like applications on Bromley Anyone can do it and we’ll Cape daisy, wallflower and lily- Council’s website and identify provide help on swift ID if of-the-valley. Herbs are good new developments in our swift you’re not sure. To take part too; try marjoram, French hotspots that could host new please contact the survey lavender, thyme, catmint, swift colonies. They will then organiser, Peter Smart (contact chives and curry plant. For respond to the Council to ask details at the end of the report). more inspiration on how to for a condition to be imposed boost your garden’s insect on the development, if 3. Put up a home for population to help swifts and permission is granted, for swift other birds, visit bricks to be installed. swifts rspb.org.uk/birds-and- wildlife/advice/gardening-for- Volunteers will also encourage You might be able to host your wildlife the local community in our swift own family of swifts by putting hotspots to create new swift up a swift nest box on your 5. Use your voice homes, either by installing swift home (and encourage your

bricks where possible or, if not, neighbours to do the same!). As politicians renegotiate our swift nest boxes. For example, Fix it under the eaves, ideally relationship with the European some local schools have on a north-facing wall and with Union and decide on the expressed an interest in a clear flight path to the box. policies that will shape our providing homes for swifts and To maximise your chances countryside for years to come, Ian, one of our surveyors, play swift calls to attract any we have a unique opportunity persuaded nearby swifts. If you don’t to get nature on the political to install a swift brick in their attract a swift to nest, a house agenda. The RSPB is new visitor centre. sparrow or a starling family launching the Let Nature Sing (both Red-listed birds) might campaign to remind politicians The more people who join our take up residence or maybe a and the public of the joy of team, the more we can do to charming pair of blue or great birdsong and what we would help our swifts. Training and tits. Either way you’ll be lose if we don’t have strong help will be provided and the helping nature. Be sure to let environmental laws. To find out time commitment is flexible us know how you get on. (around 1 day a month). If how you can get involved, visit: rspb.org.uk/get- you’re interested in If you notice a house nearby involved/campaigning/let- volunteering please email with scaffolding, you could put nature-sing [email protected] a flyer through the door to

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If we want our towns and landowners manage their reversing decades of habitat countryside to once again teem land, not just how much destruction and the overuse of with life, from swifts to land they happen to have. chemicals and pesticides. butterflies, we need: At the moment a new Ask your MP to speak up for  Ambitious and binding legal Agriculture Bill is going through wildlife-friendly farming. The targets for nature’s recovery, Parliament. This is a once-in-a- RSPB has prepared an online that politicians must meet. generation opportunity to form for you to easily fill in: create a payment system for e-activist.com/page/37883/  Strengthened environmental farmers that rewards them for action laws, not weakened. restoring wildlife, and preserving the natural Please also sign a new petition  An independent resources that food production calling for the Government to environmental watchdog to depends upon, such as soil, require swift bricks to be hold government to account. water, air and pollinators. installed in all new homes: Farmers could be rewarded for you.38degrees.org.uk/  A reformed system of farm supporting insect populations, petitions/save-our-swifts subsidies that rewards how increasing swifts’ food supply, Sharing our results Acknowledgements We shared the information BTO’s BirdTrack our swift surveyors gathered All our colleagues in the as widely as possible. RSPB who provided All our records were uploaded invaluable advice and to the BTO’s BirdTrack system. support, for example by Alongside the locations of sharing a swift survey RSPB’s national swift swifts, we provided breeding methodology, giving us survey evidence (low-flying, practical tips and helping us screaming, arcing, banging or to produce our maps. We worked with colleagues in nesting) under the appropriate category on BirdTrack. the RSPB’s Data Unit to upload Edward Mayer, founder of BirdTrack shows migration our records into the RSPB’s Swift Conservation, for his movements and distributions of national swift survey by means inspirational talk to our birds throughout Britain, of a mass upload facility. We Group in 2017 that helped informing conservation. were the first coordinated swift us launch our survey survey to have its data publicity in style and for uploaded into this national Bromley Biodiversity helpful advice. dataset. Partnership (BBP) All the community Anyone can view these records and the Greenspace Duringorganisations our survey in Bromley in 2018 here: Information for manywho helpedlocal people us spread told us the with swiftsurvey.org/rspb/home/ sadnessword about about the how survey. rarely This they viewrecords Greater London includes the BBP who also (GIGL) shared useful information This website allows local about swift sightings they authority planners, architects, had received. ecologists and developers to We made swift nest location find out where swift colonies records available to the BBP are located around the country for their use in considering Most importantly, all our and take steps to protect local planning applications. We Bromley Swift Surveyors – breeding swifts during also sent all our swift sightings without you none of this development. to GIGL, the capital's would have been possible! environmental records centre.

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Involve Your regional volunteer newsletter Issue no 00 Winter 20XX

Louisa Li Louisa

Birdwatching trip to RSPB Pulborough Brooks, , in autumn 2018 The RSPB Bromley Local Group The RSPB has more than Alongside this, we help to United Reformed Church on 140 local groups around the manage wildlife habitats in Widmore Road in Bromley. UK. They’re a chance to , one make new friends, learn of Bromley’s biodiversity gems. We also lead free guided local about our amazing wildlife Join us on one of our volunteer walks every month to the best work days! and support the RSPB’s places for nature in and around work giving nature a home. the Bromley borough as well We also bring people together as guided day trips to the best to enjoy and learn about nature reserves in south and Our group is the face and voice wildlife. We organise east , from the Suffolk of the RSPB in the London entertaining talks from the coast to the Dorset heaths. Borough of Bromley. Led by country’s leading experts on volunteers, we are a group of varied topics, from the story of All our events are open to people working together to extinct birds to the secrets of make a difference for nature in everyone, of all ages, wildlife the charming hedgehog, from experts and absolute our local community. Our the North Marshes to the citizen science swift project beginners. Please do come African rainforests. They start along! Visit our website and aims to improve the outlook for at 7pm on the second this iconic bird in our borough. Facebook page below for all Wednesday of the month in the the details. Contact us

For more information about the survey, contact: The RSPB is a member of BirdLife International, a Peter Smart, RSPB Bromley Swift Survey Organiser partnership of conservation organisations working to give nature a home around the world. Email: [email protected]

The RSPB is the UK’s largest nature conservation Website: rspb.org.uk/groups/bromley charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home.

Facebook: facebook.com/rspbbromley

20 The RSPB is a registered charity in England and Wales 207076, in Scotland SC037654.