The Three Rivers Swift’s Group is on a mission to restore a thriving population of swift birds in Rickmansworth and have been awarded a grant by Batchworth Parish Council to buy 15 swift nesting boxes.
Three swift nesting boxes were installed at the back of the Nine Lives building in Wharf Lane in May and the group hopes to install more in the coming months to help protect the birds.
Carol Smith, of the Three Rivers Swift Group said: “Swifts are special because their screams are the sound of summer. They never land except to breed. They eat, sleep and mate on the wing. They fly to Rickmansworth from Southern Africa.
“They return each year to the same nesting hole, breeding with the same mate. Once they leave the nest they stay airborne for three years.
“They fly low in gangs seeking holes in our buildings in which to nest. Sadly, modern building methods are not swift friendly especially with the use of plastic fascia boards and the popularity of house extensions, which destroy nest sites.”
In the town, swifts can be seen and heard along Ebury, Norfolk and Talbot Road and Mill End still has a thriving population along with Middleton Road, Springwell Avenue and Thelluson Way.
Three Rivers Swift Group are conducting a survey to help protect the population of swifts.
Residents are asked to send any sightings to 3riversswifts@gmail.com with information on where the birds were spotted and how many.
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