After seeing my first Swift of the year from my flat on 8th June 2025 and 2 more birds for the first time this year over St. Nicholas Church on 15th June 2025, I heard and then saw 2 Swifts from my flat at 4:10 p.m. this afternoon.
The Swift used to be a species that I saw regularly around St. Nicholas Church every year but the scarcity of sightings both locally and elsewhere in recent years is undoubtedly a very concerning reflection of the sharp and continuing decrease in the Swift population across the UK.
In the UK, the Common Swift, usually referred to as just the Swift, is a summer visitor from late April to late August.
The UK's Swifts are in serious trouble. It is estimated that their population decreased by 66% between 1995 and 2022 and a further decrease in the last 3 years seems inevitable.
This sharp decline is due to the application of pesticides and habitat destruction which has affected their insect food supply. However, the modernisation and refurbishment of many buildings (including churches) has also resulted in the loss of essential roof nesting sites.
Unless some proactive assistance is provided, there is a very real prospect of Swifts becoming extinct in the next 30 years or so given the current population trend.
More information can be found at Swift Conservation.
The RSPB have launched their Swift mapper which can be found here. This enables anyone to easily record their Swift sightings and contribute to the national database.
Love nature .... act now
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