29th June to 7th July 2024 - is Swift Awareness Week. An early date for the diary!
1st to 9th July 2023 - Is Swift Awareness Week, and we are supporting Feathers Wild Bird Care in Salehurst with the provision of leaflets, a caller and three signed copies of the lovely little book "Screamer the Swift", by John Miles - to be raffled for customers. An evening talk by Cheryl Mason with food and drink is planned for invited guests ... hopefully to the screaming of the swifts nesting in the church tower, opposite!
17th July 2022 - Our Swift Awareness stall was in use again on Sunday, 17th July. This time on Hastings Pier at the Hastings Pirate Day celebrations! ... and the swifts in Hastings Old Town had a bird's eye view!! "A good day", said Sophie!
9th July 2022 - We're celebrating Swift Awareness Week 2022 by hosting our stall at Kings Road Market, part of the St Leonards Festival on Saturday 9th July! Come along & say hello! The juveniles, the 1-3 year olds are now in, so our swift friends should be above our heads at the weekend as we reach 'peak swift!'
2nd - 10th July 2022 is SWIFT AWARENESS WEEK - Make a diary note NOW!! Then visit our social media - Twitter and Facebook - for latest details nearer the time.
MAY, JUNE & JULY 2022 - BATTLE LIBRARY SWIFT DISPLAY. We shall have a special display about swifts in Battle Library to celebrate the return of the Battle colony of swifts from Africa to their traditional Battle nest sites ... and we'll have news on the 12 new homes that have been provided for them in the Library Clock Tower! Listen out for the swift caller that will be playing the Swift scream at certain times of the day, from early May, to attract swifts to the new nest bricks. We shall also be running a competition for 4 children to win a copy of the beautifully illustrated and very educational book 'Screamer the Swift' - very kindly provided and signed by the author John Miles. Competition entry forms available at the library display. Battle Library will be contacting local schools with information about the educational display and competition, so they can bring groups of children along to learn more about our iconic summer visitors!
3rd July 2021 - Swift Awareness Stall on Abbey Green, Battle. Thank you to all who came to talk to us, viewed the example swift boxes, swift bricks and house martin cups - and who picked up copies of our new leaflets. Thank you also to the Battle swifts who made regular appearances above us!!
21st April at 7.30pm - 'Swifts and Us' - was a one hour online presentation by author, Sarah Gibson, for Shropshire Wildlife Trust. This is a story of discovery, exploring the swift’s life from its earliest beginnings 50 million years ago to recent revelations about migration routes. Woven into the narrative are the stories of people in the UK and across Europe striving to ensure a future for swifts, demonstrating how change is brought about by passionate, determined individuals, whose actions show that everyone can do something to keep these superb birds screaming through our skies. A big 'Thank you' to Sarah for mentioning the work of Hastings and Rother Swift Conservation Group in the talk!!
10th March 2021, Edward Mayer's presentation for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
Click this link to watch: 'Swifts - the Birds You Can Help!' Edward Mayer is the man responsible for setting up Swift Conservation, www.swift-conservation.org, a web-based advice service celebrating swifts and showing what can be done to save them.
24th February 2021, 7pm to 8pm, Online Event - Saving Sussex's Swifts by Sussex Ornithological Society
SOS Swift Champion, David Campbell, gave a fascinating introduction to Swifts and their conservation in Sussex, via Eventbrite. We heard why Swifts are one of our most incredible birds and about the threats they face. Swifts have declined markedly but we learn how everyone can do their bit to reverse the trend. The talk is now available on the SOS YouTube channel - click here to watch.
28th February 2020
In February 2020, just before lockdown, we held a talk to a packed hall in Battle. We explained that Swifts are 'nest faithful' and return to the same nest year after year. If their nest is lost, they won't breed again. We can help them by being aware of existing sites and ensuring they are kept open. Hastings and Rother Swift Conservation Group survey local sites and work with landowners to protect existing nest sites and even enhance them by eaves adaptation or by the provision of swift nest boxes. We are keen that local residents become aware of nest sites and record them by using the RSPB Swift Mapper app. The best time to start surveying is from late May to late July. A give away sign of a nest site is when swifts form 'screaming parties' above the site in the early morning or around dusk. Please help us to protect this iconic species!