For a map showing an overview of all the occupied nests we have recorded in Lewes in 2025, click here.
15th October
We had a very good attendance for our AGM at the Linklater Pavilion yesterday evening. After a welcome from our Chairperson, Mike Ramsey, the Mayor of Lewes, Cllr. Emily Clarke, reaffirmed the strong support of Lewes Town Council for our Swift-friendly Town initiative.
LSS Treasurer Sharon Hall reported on income and expenditure over 2025, when we had a very welcome donation from Moore Law to support our work and a grant from Chalk Cliff Trust to fund our "Swift-friendly Town for Nature Recovery" season at Lewes Climate Hub in April and May.
Kevin Murphy, LSS Recorder, gave an overview of Swift activity in Lewes during 2025. He has collated over 3,000 sightings that he is submitting to BTO BirdTrack over the next few weeks.
Our special guest, Peter King, (Director of Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust, OART), gave an excellent presentation to share the valuable work that OART have done to restore the Cockshut wetlands and improve both biodiversity and flood resilience. He also explained their plans for further work at the Cockshut, and improvements at Landport Brooks and the Winterbourne stream. It was fascinating and very worthwhile.
Peter King, Director of OART Mayor Emily Clarke with our Swift-friendly Town flag
For more information, see Minutes of 2025 AGM of Lewes Swift Supporters
25th August
We watched our Valence Road nest box throughout the day and the evening yesterday but we didn't see any Swifts at all. We think that the first chick fledged on the morning of Saturday 23rd August because we only saw one chick sitting at the entrance for most of the day. We also found an interesting piece of debris from the old Sparrows' nest in the box and we think that may have been disturbed as it fledged. One parent returned to the single chick late on Saturday evening and we believe the second chick fledged early on Sunday morning. They have been welcome and entertaining visitors and we very much hope they will come back again next year!
Photograph from 13th June, when the Valence Road nest box Swifts first arrived
22nd August
The activity continues at the nest box in Valence Road - possibly the last remaining Swift family in Lewes?
Two chicks have been sitting at the entrance for long periods throughout today and visited by a parent bird at 12.10, 13.17, 15.15 and 20.15.
Two Swift chicks sitting at the entrance to the nest box in Valence Road, (Nick Jarvis)
20th August
For two consecutive nights we have not seen any Swifts return to nest 1 at 98 Western Road, one of the two remaining active nests that we know about. Yesterday we saw five entries or exits to our nest box in Valence Road and observed two Swifts sitting at the entrance again at 7.00 p.m.
According to this migration map, most of our Lewes Swifts could be in Africa by now!
15th August
We saw both Swifts return to nest 1 at 98 Western Road last night and at least one Swift returned to the nest box in Valence Road yesterday and this morning.
Swift in Valence Road nest box, Western Road Swift Watchers and surveyors, Swift flying into nest 1 in Western Road
This graph compares the number of sites where we have recorded nest entrances/exits this year with previous years.
We have recorded 107 nest entrances as visited this year, compared to our previous record of 84 in 2024.
12th August
Another scorching hot day for installing nest boxes around Lewes. We installed five more - in The Gallops, Prince Edward's Road, Wallands Crescent, St. John's Terrace, and Talbot Terrace. That make 201 Swift nest boxes that we have installed so far!
Thank you as always to Dave Boddington, Swift Champion for Sussex Ornithological Society, for his invaluable help!
The Gallops Prince Edward's Road Wallands Crescent
St. John's Terrace Talbot Terrace
11th August
The Swifts continue to visit the nest box in Valence Road and the one nest remaining active in Western Road!
Swift flying out of the nest box in Valence Road and one Swift sitting at the entrance, 11.8.25
7th August
Most of our survey teams have completed the surveys of their areas now, because they haven't seen any Swifts entering or exiting the nests in their patch for several days and evenings.
In area 1, at the top of the town, Swifts continue to return to nest 1 at 98 Western Road, where we first saw Swifts enter on 28th April. We wonder whether the parents had to start a second brood because the first one failed. We are still seeing Swifts enter and exit the nest box in Valence Road, which was occupied this year for the first time.
A Swift about to enter the nest box in Valence Road
1st August
Although most of our surveyors report that the Lewes Swifts have left on their migration to Africa, up until last night we have still seen returns to one nest in Western Road. In the active nest box in Valence Road, the Swifts have been in and out again today.
Two Swifts peering out of the Valence Road nest box at 1.05 p.m this afternoon
28th July
According to our surveyors, almost all of our Swifts have begun their migration towards Africa already. This is earlier than last year - probably because they arrived earlier and have had good weather for feeding themselves and their chicks. It has been an exciting year!
Margaret, in Southover High Street, has two Swift nests in the roof and two in nest boxes. She reported that the chicks fledged on 18th July and the parent birds had all left by 26th July.
Tonight we only had one pair of Swifts returning to nest 1 in Western Road, but during the day the Swifts were still entering and exiting the nest box in Valence Road.
Swift entering nest 1 at Western Road Swift about to enter Valence Road nest box
25th July
Another new nest for this year recorded in Old Malling Way. This brings the total number of nest spaces/boxes where we have seen entries or exits by Swifts to 106!
18th July
We are still seeing entries and exits from nests - even those that were first occupied at the end of April.
Once the Swifts have paired up and laid their eggs, it takes 19-20 days for incubation, then it takes from six to eight weeks from hatching to fledging. We would expect that some of the chicks have fledged by now.
As soon as the chicks have all their feathers and are the same size, or bigger, than their parent birds, the parents leave them for a couple of days. Becoming hungry, the chicks are apparently enticed to fledge and join in with the younger birds screaming past the eaves - and begin their flight to Africa for the first time!
Swift chick in King Henry's Road 17.7.25.
The chicks hatched on 20th June so we would expect them to fledge any time between the 1st and 15th August.
Although we think that some of the Swifts have probably begun their migration towards Africa already, we are still recording new nest entries. Yesterday evening, Kevin saw a Swift enter a new nest space at St. Anne's Church - the 22nd nest there! Nick saw an entry to The Workshop in De Montfort Road during the afternoon. Paddy, the owner, is keeping a look out for any further action!
St. Anne's Church - Western half of the North-facing wall
The Workshop, De Montfort Road
11th July
Tonight we met up with the Wellbeing in Nature group from the Railway Land to lead them on a Swift walk around some of our colonies. It was a lovely evening! On the way we saw a Swift enter the nest at Westfield House, one entry at St. Anne's Church, and five Swifts entering nests in upper Western Road. One of them took five attempts to follow its partner into the nest so we were very relieved when it was successful!
Last night the Swifts were putting on a good show - it was a flying ants day! This morning we were woken by Swifts screaming past our house. There were answering calls from one of the nests in our double box and when we looked out of the bedroom window we could see a Swift peering out of the entrance!
In the evening we watched ten Swifts screaming up and down De Montfort Road for quite a while before seeing one enter the nest space under the eaves that had been blocked by scaffolding during May.
Later we saw lots of screaming fly-pasts of St. Anne's Church, some almost touching the gutters. We saw one nest entry before moving further up Western Road, where we saw entries to three of the nests. At 9.30 p.m. we counted 27 Swifts screaming in a tight group over the junction with Spital Road before they disappeared in their vesper flight.
8th July
Last night Audrey and Nick saw an entry and exit to a new nest at St. Anne's Church - making 21 nests there and 102 altogether in Lewes. This morning they watched Swifts screaming past the double box at their house in Valence Road from 6.00 a.m. to 11.50 a.m., and saw entries to both sides of the box.
Western half of St. Anne's Church
One of the Swifts entering the nest box in Valence Road
3rd July
Last night, to our amazement, a thirteenth nest was confirmed on the same house at the top of St. Swithun's Lane - making a total number of 101 occupied nests in Lewes.
Rear of 80b High Street, top of St. Swithun's Lane
2nd July
The nest cam in one of the Swift nests in King Henry's Road has allowed us to follow the Swift season through one family of Swifts.
- The first Swift arrived back in the nest on 25th April.
- Two Swifts were seen in the nest by 14th May.
- The first egg was laid on 26th May.
- We could see two eggs by 28th May.
- The eggs had hatched by 20th June and we could see glimpses of the chicks.
This photograph from this morning show just how much the chicks have grown!
27th June
Thank you to Diana Freestone, volunteer gardener at Anne of Cleves House in Southover High Street, for offering to open up the garden in the evening so that Southover surveyors could check on the previously occupied nest sites at the rear of the house. They saw an entry to one nest, marked below, which brings our total to 100 Swift nests in Lewes!
23rd June
Another spate of warm, still weather has made Swift surveys very exciting. We have seen a great deal of banging by prospecting Swifts and many thrilling screaming fly-pasts!
With twenty nests at St. Anne's Church, more nests in The Avenue, an amazing five nests at Gallows Bank, Abinger Place, the nest at Westfield House confirmed, and a fifth nest in Western Road, that brings our total to a record-breaking, (since we started in 2019 anyway), 99 occupied nests.
St. Anne's Church, Western Road
Gallows Bank, Abinger Place
18th June
Today we met up with Dave Boddington, the Swift Champion for Sussex Ornithological Society and an insured builder who has installed hundreds of Swift boxes across the county. Between 9.30 a.m. and 5.00 p.m., with a short break for lunch and to cool off, we installed nine Swift nest boxes and two House Martin cups. Good luck to all the new owners of nest accommodation!
Bradford Road Keere Street Hereward Way
Since we started up in 2019, we have installed 142 single boxes, 53 double boxes, and one triple nest box. That makes 251 potential breeding spaces for Swifts in the future!
15th June
Yesterday evening we led our first of three Swift Walks of the season. Here are some of the highlights from the colonies we visited.
- At The Maltings we saw an entry to a new nest space for this year, making seven nests there altogether.
- As we walked into the High Street, eight Swifts screamed over our heads and down St. Martin's Lane.
- At the top of St. Swithun's Lane, we saw and entry to one nest and an exit from another.
- At St. Anne's Church, one Swift entered nest 3 and one flew out of nest 8.
- Last of all, we saw three entries and two exits in upper Western Road.
Market Lane The Maltings
St. Swithun's Lane St. Anne's Church
Western Road
Before the walk started, a second Swift entered the other side of the double nest box in Valence Road. During the evening another nest was reported in The Avenue.
With the new nest at The Maltings, our current total is 79 occupied nests and twelve of them in nest boxes.
14th June
We had a very good day for Swifts yesterday! There were several screaming parties of Swifts around Lewes during the day.
Six Swifts were screaming over The Maltings and across the Castle Bowling Green at 11.00 a.m.
At 12.00 p.m., seven Swifts were bombarding the house at the top of St. Swithun's Lane and surveyor Nick saw two entries to two new nests, making twelve there now.
At 2.15 p.m., three Swifts were hurtling past a box in Valence Road repeatedly and banging near the box and against the wall. They returned at 4.00 p.m. and later, at.6.40 p.m., they came back and one went into one of the entrances on the double Peak box. The others kept screaming past and one made an attempt to enter the other side of the box, clinging on to the ramp for a moment and peering inside. At 8.50 p.m., a second Swift entered the box.
This all means that we have 76 occupied nests in Lewes now, with eleven of them in nest boxes.
Swifts over The Maltings Attempted entry in Valence Road
Twelve nests in St. Swithun's Lane
11th June
Warmer weather and calmer skies made for some spectacular displays by Swifts last night. We welcomed back a series of screaming fly-pasts at St. Anne's Church that resulted in the discovery of a new, thirteenth, nest.
Swift over St. Anne's Churchyard 10.6.25
Sharon has confirmed a third nest on the East side of her house in King Henry's Road, after "nesting" sounds had made her suspect that Swifts were there as well as on the West side. She also saw banging at a nearby potential nest entrance.
Another nest has been recorded in The Avenue, near the junction with Bradford Road, and there are now ten nests along the same wall of the house at the top of St. Swithun's Terrace!
Supporter Nick has been in touch to let us know that his Swift box in St. John's Terrace, installed in 2022, now has Swifts settling into it. We know that we have to be patient while Swifts begin to recognise boxes as a safe place to breed, because most of ours nest under the eaves or in other nooks and crannies in a building. There has been an encouraging boost this year, with ten Swift boxes occupied by Swifts.
Our current total is 73 occupied nests in Lewes.
Seven nests on the front West half of St. Anne's Church
East side of King Henry's Road house Top of St. Swithuns' Terrace
2nd June
With a second nest at the Flea Market and a fourth nest in upper Western Road, our total number of occupied nests is now 67. Mid-town surveyors suspect there may be more to report at the top of St. Swithun's Terrace soon!
Side of Flea Market, viewed from East Street car park Upper Western Road
We believe that the second wave of younger Swifts has arrived! We have seen long periods of banging and screaming in Valence Road, De Montfort Road, and Western Road. On visits to the Cockshut wetlands we have seen forty plus Swifts swirling and screaming over the water and the meadow nearby, accompanied by House Martins. This is such a marvellous resource for our Swifts!
28th May
Strong winds and rain have meant that Swifts have been few and far between over the past few days! However, Kevin saw an entry to an ninth nest at the top of St. Swithun's Lane, bring our total up to 65 occupied nests.
In King Henry's Road, we now have two eggs in the nest! The first one was laid on 26th May, and the second one was laid this afternoon.
24th May
Thank you to all the visitors who joined us for week 5 of our "Swift-friendly Town for Nature" season at Lewes Climate Hub. The theme was Hedgehogs and they crafted some wonderful models out of pine cones and Hazel sticks.
We have some beautiful additions to our Mosaic wall - to share ideas for a Swift-friendly town!
23rd May
We have now recorded 64 occupied nests. Mike identified one nest at the Flea Market, and Larissa and Gill recorded an eighth nest at the top of St. Swithun's Terrace. Emma saw two Swifts prospecting around the two nest boxes at the rear of her house in Western Road, and Audrey saw a Swift enter another one of the nest boxes that we installed in De Montfort Road. That makes three nest boxes there that are occupied - Swift Street!
St. Swithun's Flea Market De Montfort Road Western Road
22nd May
We are really showing the benefit of so many enthusiastic surveyors and Swift Watchers! Between us all we have now recorded sixty nests across Lewes. There are now seven nests on just one house at the top of St. Swithun's Terrace and six at The Maltings.
Margaret has been able to confirm at least three occupied nests at the rear of her house in Southover High Street, and she suspects there may be another one in the roof and yet another in one of her boxes.
Top of St. Swithun's The Maltings
The picture below shows the two Swifts in the nest at King Henry's Road last night. They make good use of the upstairs and downstairs sections in their nest space under the eaves.
21st May
Yet more occupied nest boxes reported last night! At least 55 nests in Lewes now!
- Nick discovered a 12th nest at St. Anne's Church.
- Margaret sent us a message to say that she could confirm three occupied nests at the rear of Southover High Street - and she suspects there may be another one in the roof and one more in one of her double Peak nest boxes!
- Kevin has recorded four nests at The Maltings now.
East end of St. Anne's Church The Maltings
20th May
We have had some exciting developments over the past few evenings of surveying! Our current total is 52 occupied nests.
- On 18th May, screaming fly-pasts, banging at different nest spaces, and repeated attempts to enter under the eaves at the East end of St. Anne's Church resulted in Nick and Audrey recording three more nests at the church, making eleven altogether.
- Kevin reported an entry to the usual nest in Abinger Place and a fifth nest in Station Street.
- Audrey and Nick saw a Swift enter another one of the boxes that we had installed in De Montfort Road. The Swifts have been prospecting enthusiastically along the road for the past two weeks, and banging at several of the boxes there, so it was wonderful to see one enter a nest box at last.
- Kevin reports that two nests are now recorded in Potter's Lane.
- Wendy has confirmed a third nest in Mealla Close.
New nests at the East end of St. Anne's Church Five nests at Station Street
17th May
We have been seeing entries to several more nest spaces at the top of the town, around the centre and in Southover, making 43 occupied nests so far.
- Audrey and Nick have recorded four more nests at St. Anne's Church, making eight nests altogether.
- Kevin recorded a third nest at The Maltings.
- Audrey saw an exit from a third nest in Station Street that was confirmed by an entry seen by Kevin later in the day.
- Loick and Kevin have recorded two nests in Market Lane - the second nest entrance has not been used for several years.
- Lynn and Kevin have both seen entries to a fourth nest in St. Martin's Lane.
- Juliet saw an entry to a nest at the rear of Southover High Street.
We have had another wonderful day at Lewes Climate Hub for week four of our "Swift-friendly Town for Nature Recovery" season. Dylan Walker from the People's Park for Nature joined us to collect our hopes and dreams of what wildlife we would like to see in and around Lewes in the future. It was very inspiring. As Dylan said, "If we can gather people together with the same ideas, we can make something happen!"
Here are some illustrations of some of the things that visitors would like to see.
Elk, Wild Boar, Beavers
Meadows, Water Voles, Nature Reserve with bird hide
14th May
It has been hard to keep up with all the Swift activity in Lewes over the past two days - a good problem to have!
We now have four occupied nests at St. Anne's Church, at least one nest in Potter's Lane, and second nests at The Maltings, King Henry's Road and Mealla Close. Nests have also been confirmed at St. Martin's Lane and The Avenue. That makes at least 30 nests in Lewes.
The Avenue Mealla Close King Henry's Road
Our biggest surprise is Swift entries to each entrance of one of the double corner boxes that was only installed in Rotten Row in March 2025! We are also very please to see via nest cam that both Swifts are now in the first nest at King Henry's Road.
Nest boxes at Rotten Row Two Swifts at King Henry's Road
Kevin has updated the graph of nests counts year by year, see below. It shows that, although we were well ahead with numbers during the end of April, we are now roughly in line with nest returns by Swifts in previous years.
12th May
The return of some warmer weather appears to have attracted more Swifts back to Lewes. We now have confirmed 24 occupied nests!
Market Lane The Maltings Castle Precincts
St. Anne's Church East St. Anne's Church West Station Street
5th May
Two days of colder weather and strong winds have meant that we haven't been seeing as many Swifts flying around as last week.
We have recorded more nest entries though. The Swifts are back in the nest box at 24 De Montfort Road that has been occupied every year for twenty years, we recorded our first nest at St. Anne's Church, and there are now six nests at the rear of the High Street! That makes 14 active nests so far!
A fledgling flying from the box in De Montfort Road in August 2023, a close-up of the nest space at St. Anne's Church, and the six nest entrances at the rear of the High Street
3rd May
Another wonderful day at Lewes Climate Hub for week 2 of our Swift-friendly town for Nature Recovery season. We invited Pete the Pond to talk about "The importance of ponds for wildlife" and he was terrific! During the day we had 82 visitors, many of whom made pebble frogs or added to our Mosaic Wall - sharing ideas for boosting biodiversity
.
Pete the Pond Pebble frog
Our Mosaic Wall - come and add to it!
Last night Audrey and Nick recorded a third nest at the Western Road colony - making ten nests now.
2nd May
Another good day for Swift surveys yesterday!
- Swift Watcher Bridget reported a third nest at the rear of the High Street at 1.00 p.m., and an entry there was confirmed by Sue in the evening. Kevin recorded a fourth nest there later on.
- Between 7.20 and 7.45 p.m., Audrey and Nick saw a pair of Swifts enter nest 1 in Valence Road, shortly followed by another pair entering a second nest.
- Audrey and Nick saw a Swift enter nest 1 and a new nest 2 in Western Road.
With the Swift at King Henry's Road, that makes nine active nests altogether!
Valence Road Rear of High Street Western Road
1st May
We have already recorded five Swift nests! This is very early and probably due to the fine weather. We have all noticed more insects around this year!
Western Road Valence Road Rear of High Street
April 2025
Welcome back to our Swifts!
On Saturday 26th May, we were joined by the Mayor of Lewes and supporters for a pavement parade from the Linklater Pavilion to Lewes Climate Hub - to welcome back our Swifts and celebrate our Swift-friendly town status!
From the Railway Land Through the precinct At Lewes Climate Hub
Once at Lewes Climate Hub, we served refreshments to 92 visitors and invited them to add to our Mosaic Wall and make a Swift pendant or a flying Swift.
In the afternoon, we were joined by the marvellous Paul Stevens, (Hirundine Champion for Sussex Ornithological Society and Conservation Officer for House Martins UK), for a wonderful talk about the Swifts and House Martins at his home, the Swallows nearby, and the Sand Martins at the nests he has helped to design and construct.
A Summer with Swifts, Swallows and Martins
Early sightings of Swifts in Lewes!
On 21st and 22nd April, one was seen flying over the top of The Avenue. On 23rd April, we had reports of two Swifts flying over the Cockshut wetlands, accompanied by House Martins, Swallows and Sand Martins! On 25th April, one Swift returned to the nest in the attic eaves at King Henry's Road. Just in time for our special events at Lewes Climate Hub! See below!
A Swift-friendly town for Nature Recovery!
A season of special events organised by Lewes Swift Supporters at Lewes Climate Hub, 32 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2LU
April 23rd to 31st May
Our Swift-friendly town initiative, formally approved by Lewes Town Council in September 2024, has two main aims: to raise awareness of Swifts and to encourage further actions, however small, to help these wonderful red-listed birds.
From 23rd April to 31st May, we have booked special visitors for each Saturday to share ideas to boost biodiversity and explain how we may all become part of keeping Lewes as a Swift-friendly town! All events and activities are free and there is no need to book.
Saturday 26th April - Pavement parade from The Railway Land to Lewes Climate Hub. Meet outside the Linklater Pavilion at 10.30 a.m. Bring a banner to celebrate Swifts and/or your community group!
Then join us at the Hub for refreshments and craft activities - and a chance to add to our Mosaic Map!
At 1.30 p.m. - Paul Stevens, Conservation Officer for House Martins UK, will share his presentation - "A Summer with Swifts, Swallows and Martins". Including video of the Swifts and House Martins visiting the colonies at his own home.
Saturday 3rd May, Make a pebble frog to take home! 1.30 p.m. - Pete the Pond will explain "The Importance of Ponds for Wildlife".
Saturday 10th May, 11.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. - Helen Meade, CEO of The Railway Land Wildlife Trust, will share the exciting ideas behind the Lewes Mosaic - which we may all contribute to!
Saturday 17th May, 11.00 a.m. - 3.00 pm. - Dylan Walker will host events to share his vision of a Peoples' Park for Nature.
Saturday 24th May, Rustic Tim joins us to show us how to craft hedgehogs out of wood - and at 1.30 p.m. Emily Thrift will show us how to protect our Hedgehogs and other wildlife.
Saturday 31st May, Make you own bug hotel to take home! At 1.30 p.m. Alice Parfitt from Buglife will explain the importance of working together to conserve all invertebrate life - for Swifts and for other wildlife - and us!
We installed another Swift nest box in Valence Road, just along from an existing colony.
That makes 184 boxes!
We walked up to Lewes Golf Club to have a look at their four new Swift nest boxes. There is a wonderful view over the Swifts' potential flight path and hundreds of Cowslips are growing around the clubhouse - making it a very Swift-friendly area!
March 2025
We have installed eight more Swift nest boxes in Lewes this month. This brings the total number of boxes that we have installed since 2019 to 183.
Three of the boxes and a Swift caller were installed at Priory School after talking with the Eco-School representatives about Swifts
2 x double boxes in Rotten Row Valence Road Mealla Close
Cleve Terrace Priory School
January 2025
Edward Mayer gave a wonderful presentation about Swifts as part of the Biological Recording season of free webinars on Thursday 16th January. He has shared a recording so that you may watch it at your leisure. It is well worth a view!
Click here: Swifts and their Ecology
Or, paste this address into your browser: https://biologicalrecording.co.uk/2025/01/16/swifts/