Peter King, (Director of the @OuseAdurRT), is joining #Lewes #Swift Supporters AGM in October to talk about the wonderful, multi award-winning Cockshut Regeneration Project! For free membership and an invitation, just contact us at [email protected] Membership is free!

Osprey above Tide Mills, Newhaven on Saturday #birds @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @lewesswifts.bsky.social

Several House Martins flying past in the past few days and lots of them feeding over the fields between #Lewes and Ringmer yesterday - but on Saturday Nick saw three Swallows and A #SWIFT flying over the Castle Bowling Green! Safe journey to all of them and see you next year.

Our article about #Swifts is in the #Lewes Climate Hub newsletter! lewesclimatehub.org/a-great-season…

#Swifts, other wildlife, and us depend upon insects for survival. You could help Buglife, Butterfly Conservation and Bumblebee Conservation to create the Big Insect Rescue Plan: butterfly-conservation.org/big-insect-r...

At least SOME countries recognize the value of NATURE and all its offerings.

A Swallow feeding its young before heading off on its long journey south. Before they migrate back to their wintering grounds in Africa, they can be seen gathering to roost in wetlands, particularly reedbeds. Photo by Glyn Rubidge, posted on the Nature Table

I am very upset to report that a colony of House Martins have had their nests blocked by scaffolding in Standon,Hertfordshire today. The building containing the Post Office has 8 to 10 nests under the eaves, some of which contain chicks that will die if the birds cannot reach them. #hertsbirds 1/2

Some of the 12 #trees we have been looking after in Gundreda Road, #Lewes, after planting them in November 2021 - Celtis australis, (Nettle Tree), Crataegus x prunifolia, (Cockspurthorn)m Acer campestre "Louisa Red Shine", (Field Maple), and Ostrya carpinifolia, (Hop Hornbeam).

Thank you to everyone who came to our stall at the #Lewes Societies Fair today! We enjoyed talking with you and sharing your interest in #Swifts!

Lewes Swift Supporters will be at the Societies Fair again on Saturday, 30th August, 11.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Come along to #Lewes Town Hall and find out about the #Swifts of Lewes and how you may help them, and how we may help with installing Swift nest boxes and artificial House Martin cups.

For the first day since 26th April, we have seen no #Swifts in #Lewes! We think the first chick left our nest box yesterday and the second one left early this morning. We have enjoyed having them at our house so much and we hope they come back safely next year!

Mainly just one #Swift peering out of the entrance of the box at our house in #Lewes today. A parent Swift entered at 8.15, flew out at 18.15, flew out again at 19.49, and entered at 20.23. They have been with us for 71 days now - a special time!

Lewes #Swift Supporters will be at the Societies Fair at #Lewes Town Hall on Saturday 30th August, 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. Come along and chat with us about Swifts, our Swift-friendly Town, and installing Swift boxes!

"Our" chicks have spent most of the day at the entrance to the box wondering where their next meal is coming from or whether or not to take the plunge and head off into the future. We also saw a lone #Swift flying high over #Lewes and feeding well. Could it be one of our parents?

Lots of views of one or two of the #Swifts sitting at the entrance of our #Lewes nest box today, between 10.30 and 19.50. Watched two of them peering out for several minutes at 13.35 before a parent Swift flew in. At 20.27, another parent Swift flew into the nest.

Most of our #Lewes #Swifts could be in Africa by now! Well, apart from the ones still in our nest box.....

Four compartment Swift box installed today at Seahaven academy in Newhaven. Box from Impeckable. Thanks to everyone who helped make it possible. @lewesswifts.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @saveourswifts.bsky.social

Managed to catch a quick blurry picture of the two #Swifts in our nest box today at 7.00 p.m., after they had been in and out all day. None to see in Western Road, #Lewes, again for the second night in a row.

Out with the lovely Swift gang last night. Didn't see any. Farewell my screaming summer flying ace friends. Look forward to welcoming you again next year #ScreamingSwiftsofSummer @lewesswifts.bsky.social

One #Swift entered our box at 7.55 a.m. and we saw it sitting at the entrance again when we set out at 7.55 p.m. No Swifts to be seen at Western Road, #Lewes, but we saw two Pipistrelle bats later on!

Thought we had said goodbye to the last remaining #Swifts in #Lewes, but one flew into our box at 10.35 and out again at 10.30, and it sat at the entrance between 12.07 and 12.20. At Western Road, one flew out of nest 1 at 8.48, and another at 8.54 p.m., both well after dark!

We didn't see any #Swifts today either at our nest box or at the last remaining active nest site in Western Road, #Lewes. Safe journey to Africa to all our special visitors!

End of season meet up in Western Road, #Lewes, to celebrate Swifts and watch only one return to the nest - possibly for the last time? We only saw one #Swift flying in and out of our box today too, and it was sitting at the entrance looking around several times.

One #Swift entered our nest box in Valence Road, #Lewes this afternoon and was peeking out as we set out on our survey. We watched with the Western Road supporters as two Swifts flew in and out of nest 1 between 8.34 and 8.45 p.m. With Ivy the dog, celebrating her 11th birthday.

An increase in Wood Sandpipers, with 5 juveniles at Rye Harbour yesterday and at least 6 at Pett Level this morning. Mostly at distance, but this one came just close enough... Lovely birds with echoing, fluty calls. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @sussexwildlife.bsky.social

We require a knowledgeable birdwatcher to lead the team that produces the highly respected annual Sussex Bird Report, described by @birdguides.bsky.social as ‘a gold standard of county bird reports’. Please share with your networks. Full brief in link here; tinyurl.com/y9nz7acd

Some #Swifts still here in #Lewes! Two Swifts above Leicester Road Stores at 11.00 a.m., two Swifts over the junction of Western Road and Spital Road at 12.00 noon, and both Swifts entered nest 1 at 98 Western Road between 8.28 and 8.35 p.m. Both took two attempts to enter.

Two #Swifts at the entrance to our box again. One flew out, (see blurry action picture), followed by the other. Turned to see where it had gone and saw four Swifts circling past. Swift returned to Western Road, #Lewes, tonight too.

We installed five more #Swift boxes in #Lewes this morning with @birdingbodds.bsky.social the marvellous SOS Swift Champion! They are in The Gallops, Prince Edward's Road, Wallands Crescent, St. John's Terrace, and Talbot Terrace. That makes 201 Swift boxes installed by us so far!

There was a lot of #Swift action around our nest box in Valence Road, #Lewes, today, with entries and exits from 7.20 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. No returns to Western Road tonight so maybe the chicks have fledged at last. We'll keep checking! Photographs from our nest box this morning.

Thought the #Swifts had left our nest box because it was so quiet and we hadn't seen them - but one flew out at 11.00 and two returned at 19.13. At the last remaining active nest in Western Road, #Lewes one flew in and out again at 20.35 and both Swifts returned at 20.50.

All the #Lewes #Swift action was in Western Road again tonight. One Swift entered at 20:38 and flew out again at 20:45 so we wondered if the other Swift had left - but both flew into the nest at 20:53.

We could hear the #Swifts in our nest box at 11.00 p.m. and 5.00 a.m. but think they have left now - not seen them all day. Both Swifts returned to nest 1 at 98 Western Road, #Lewes, yet again at 9.00 p.m. Photograph of Swifts around our nest box - we are going to miss them!

One entry and exit at our nest box during the afternoon. In Western Road, #Lewes, both #Swifts entered nest 1 at 8.59 p.m. after 3 attempts. Chicks unintentionally blocking the entrance? Must be full size by now! Trektrellen map of migrating Swifts spotted in the last two days.

Nuts! On the Turkish Hazel #tree in the pedestrian precinct, #Lewes.

This afternoon we were weeding and mulching the 14 #trees we planted in Malling Close and The Martlets, #Lewes, in November 2024. They are 4 Parrotia persica, ( Persian Ironwood), 6 Platanus orientalis, ( Oriental Plane), and 4 Quercus palustris, (Pin Oak). Wish it would rain!

Weeding and mulching the 16 trees we planted in Monk's Way, Barn Road, and Queen's Road. Quercus robur, Amelanchier lamarckii, Cercis siliquastrum, Sorbus intermedia Brouwers, Alnus incana, Malus baccata, Acer campestre, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Pyrus calleryana Chanticleer.

We saw three #Swift entries to our box between 9.35 and 10.30, and one exit at 10.55. Our evening survey followed a similar pattern to recent nights - two entries and two exits to nest 1 at 98 Western Road, #Lewes, between 8.37 and 8.43, then both Swifts returned at 8.59 p.m.

Stages in the fitting of 1 of 3 Swift bricks in Brighton today. This was a retro fit and the box sits in the cavity of the wall. Not complicated with the right equipment. @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @lewesswifts.bsky.social @bhwf.bsky.social

Preparing swift work for Global Birdfair, 11-13th July. I’ll be in puffin marquee stand 11. Looking forward to catching up with everyone! Swift season update- blog at jonathanpomroy.wordpress.com

We saw two entries to the nest box at our house again today! Both #Swifts entered nest 1 at 98 Western Road, #Lewes, at 8.40 and both flew out again shortly afterwards - with calls from the chicks in the nest after they had left. At almost 9.00 p.m., both Swifts returned.

One #Swift was sitting at the entrance to our box waiting for it to stop raining before it flew out. At 98 Western Road we saw 8 entries and exits to nest 1 between 8.25 and 9.10 p.m., ending with both Swifts back in the nest. Trust that they know the best time to leave #Lewes.

Woke to see and hear a #Swift enter our nest box at 7.45 a.m. and saw two more entries at 7.00 and 7.40 p.m. Tonight, one lovely sight of a Swift as it flew out of our nest box at 8.30 p.m., and two Swifts entered nest 1 at 98 Western Road at 9.00 p.m. Last ones left in #Lewes?

Our #Swifts are still in our nest box, flying in and out of the nest during the day or sitting at the entrance looking out. At 98 Western Road, #Lewes, we saw both Swifts fly into nest 1 at 8.45, then both flew out a few minutes later, and both returned at 9.00 p.m.

The #Swifts at our house kindly posed for a photograph this afternoon at 1.05 p.m, before flying out for a feed and returning at 6.15 p.m. At nest 1 at 98 Western Road we saw entries at 8.50 and 8.55 p.m. The Swifts have given us such a good show in #Lewes this year!

The #Lewes #Swifts were still flying in and out of the Valence Road nest box during the day and early evening. After the rain we watched both Swifts return to nest 1 at 98 Western Road. That was the first nest where we recorded an entry this year - on 28th April!

Our #Swifts are still visiting our nest box and we saw both Swifts enter nest 1 at 98 Western Road again tonight. Photograph from earlier in the season - we didn't see that many Swifts in #Lewes today!

The #Swifts are still flying in and out of our nest box in Valence Road regularly, and we saw four entries and two exits at nest 1 at 98 Western Road between 8.50 and 9.05 p.m. this evening. Apart from that, all was very quiet in #Lewes.

We are still seeing entries to nest 1 at 98 Western Road, #Lewes, with two entries and two exits between 8.55 and 9.00 p.m. At 9.10, one #Swift went halfway in and out again four times before clambering in successfully. I think it must be getting quite full in that nest!