Swift Event from Tayside Biodiversity

We are just finalising a programme of Swift Walks for Perth & Kinross: further details will be put on our Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/TaysideSwifts/. So far these dates are in our diaries (with an 8.30pm start/10.30pm finish):

• Crook of Devon – 12^th June
• Auchterarder – 13^th June
• Stanley – 19^th June
• Inchture – 20^th June
• Blairgowrie – 26^th June
• Kettins – 27^th June

We usually say that our swifts get home to Tayside around 7^th May but this year there have already been sightings in Aberfeldy and Arbroath which is very exciting. The “sound of summer” is nigh on here! Swifts always arrive after the swallows, house martins and sand martins. They are also the first to leave – in early August. In those few precious weeks we can enjoy their antics and perhaps encourage the non-breeders to explore newly-installed nest boxes to use next year. More importantly, we can make sure they remain undisturbed.

Everyone can take part in adding records to the Swift Mapper App as the more we know about where they are the nesting, the more we can actively safeguard them. With that in mind if you, your neighbours, friends or family can “adopt a road” to survey (anywhere in Tayside), please contact us as we can provide you with maps and some general survey advice.