This year, for the next 8 weeks, a small group of interested people, mainly from the Herefordshire Ornithological Club, are going to be watching for nesting swifts in Hereford city.

These magnificent birds form screaming flocks in the skies over our city.

They have in the past been seen arriving with the May Fair. This year, so far, they have been slow to arrive. They have migrated here from Africa, flying at 8,000 feet high, eating, sleeping and mating in the air. Swifts can fly faster than any other bird and can fly for 3 years without touching the ground. This they do only to lay and hatch their two eggs.

Nest sites have been severely affected by the way we build and maintain our houses. Changes in the way we ventilate, insulate, re-roof and repair buildings have led to depriving Swifts of nest sites. In Ledbury we have noted the birds entering nest sites through minute slits between roof and wall, even using bungalows.

Because they feed on insects, mainly spiders, they are only here for a short time in the summer. They return to Africa in August.

Swifts are severely endangered and numbers have been declining over past 30 years.

If you are interested in this project, or know where swifts are nesting, or would like to join us, please get in touch with the group at: herefordswifts@gmail.com