Combeinteignhead, All Saints.
Jim Grant helping out with the installation.
Rattery, St. Mary’s…and village Hall
Rattery Environment Group and Church members supporting the installation. Huge thanks to all and especially Emma Freeman, a local resident and supporter of our work.
Rattery Village Hall installation. Four nestboxes were commissioned, made from external plywood and clad with cedar. The golden colour will silver over time to blend with the existing cladding.
Barnstaple, Holy Trinity.
Andrew Keenan, local resident and Swift Champion readying himself to help hoist the boxes up the 35m tower!
Grace, Hope, and their Mum Louise joined us to help unload the nestboxes. Later in the day, Grace created this Factfile for swifts. Fantastic!
The installed colony cabinet behind the south elevation louvre casement.
A swift’s eye view of the River Taw.
Cabinets behind the pierced stone screens.
Barnstaple Holy Trinity Installation (Grab a cuppa…it’s a bit long!)
East Portlemouth, St. Winwaloe
Another one of those installations where we meet someone who inspires us on our project journey. Felicity Gibling of East Portlemouth, from us all, we thankyou for your passion for swift conservation.
Johnie and Fred, ready to install.
Ogwell, St. Bartholomew’s.
We were approached by Louise of Ogwild and Gwyn of St. Bartholomew’s during a swift presentation for Devon Birds, last year regarding nestboxes for the church. A feasibility survey revealed that the louvre casements weren’t structurally adequate to retain nestboxes, so we made new louvres for the east and west elevations, with swift nestboxes to suit. Video of Ogwell St. Bart’s installation.
Louise and Ogwild are also organising a community nestbox project for the autumn with a presentation, feasibility survey, and a nestbox and caller workshop.
Gwyn of St. Bartholomew’s with the nestboxes ready to install.
Congresbury, St. Andrew’s.
Not strictly within the geographical range of the Devon Swift Project, but we couldn’t resist this installation. Yatton And Congresbury Wildlife Action Group (YACWAG) contacted us to see if we were keen to stretch the project into Somerset. After a few email exchanges with Meriel of YACWAG and Rosemary of St. Andrew’s church (the passionate driving forces behind this installation), we surveyed and proposed nestboxes for the tower. Huge thanks to Lesley and Martin of the bellringing team and everyone on the PCC for supporting the project.
Holne, St. Mary’s.
Another straightforward installation for us, due in no small part to the support from the PCC, especially Rebecca, and the bellringing team at St. Mary’s. Huge thanks to Jim and Roberta who helped with the installation and have volunteered to be Swift Champions! We installed mid-June and a local resident spotted a pair of swifts circling the tower three weeks late, fingers crossed for next year.
George Nympton, St. George.
Another incredible Swift Champion, Trisha of George Nympton knows all of the existing nest sites and where nests have been lost due to house maintenence. Not a moment to waste, we proposed an installation which was approved by the DAC and Archdeacon, allowing us to install this season. Huge thanks to all for their support.
Trisha with the installed nestboxes at St. George’s.
Fred, ready to earn his keep 🙂
A swift’s eye view over the village.
A little panoramic to show the location of this church in its beautiful setting. When we turned the caller on, prospecting juveniles flew up to inspect the tower almost immediately. Can’t blame them for wanting to live here! Trisha, the Swift Champion, has also reported lots of activity.
Denbury, St. Mary’s.
Huge thanks to Colin and David Wills for their support and assistance with the installation at St. Mary’s. Was good to get these nestboxes in mid-season to attract prospectors before they head back to Africa, all thanks to Colin’s efficiency and David’s help on the day.
Bideford, St Mary’s
Another wonderfully supported installtion in Bideford at St. Mary’s. Heaps of praise to the PCC, bellringers, and church members for their support. Within minutes of completing the installation and activating the caller, swifts were seen circling the tower!
Kate and Brian who were instrumental throughout the process.
A little bit of enabling works…Twelve Georgian wired glazing panels needed to be removed to install on three elevations. They were then carefully carried down to the ground floor, one at a time…on the hottest day of the year!
Massive thanks to Devon Birds the Devon Environment Foundation, and all the supporters who helped fund and enable these installations.