Highcliffe, Winchester - Swifts continue to increase

You can read our previous blog about Swift boxes in the Highcliffe area of Winchester here and how the installation of Swift boxes started in 2019, following Winchester City Council’s commencement of reroofing their properties in the area.

It is no surprise that Swifts are still increasing and there are now 24 pairs in 107 boxes. And a further ten boxes have been installed in the last couple of months. And there are also still a few pairs in natural sites on the estate.

	2020 boxes occupied by swifts	2021 boxes occupied by swifts	2022 boxes occupied by swifts
Portal Road	4	7	8
Gordon Avenue	9	11	14
Nelson Road	0	1	1
Milland Road	1	1	1
St Catherine's Road	0	0	0
Fivefields Road	0	0	0
Canute Road	0	0	0
Highcliffe Road	0	0	0
Vale Road	0	0	0
Total	14	20	24
Percentage of boxes available in each year occupied by swifts	16%	22%	22%

House Sparrow numbers are also increasing and have now been seen entering 71% of the boxes, several of which are time-shared between them and the Swifts.

	2020 boxes occupied by any bird	2021 boxes occupied by any bird	2022 boxes occupied by any bird
Portal Road	24	7	28
Gordon Avenue	32	11	34
Nelson Road	2	1	2
Milland Road	1	1	3
St Catherine's Road	0	0	1
Fivefields Road	0	0	1
Canute Road	0	0	1
Highcliffe Road	0	0	1
Vale Road	0	0	5
Total	59	20	76
Percentage of boxes available in each year occupied by birds	69%	22%	71%

It should be noted that House Sparrows were not surveyed fully during 2021 due to Covid lockdowns and this is reflected in the table above.

It’s a shame that we don’t have detailed historical data but what is absolutely clear is that the Swifts and House Sparrows would have been virtually wiped out by the reroofing work by WCC had boxes not been installed in mitigation. There is absolutely no doubt that the loss of nest sites across the country is the primary cause of the decline even if some have not yet woken up this fact.