Leeds Swifts newsletter
- paulrobertwheatley
- Sep 22
- 13 min read
Updated: Sep 23
September 2025
Greetings Swift lovers!
Wow, what a summer we’ve had! And a record-breaking one too - on two accounts.
Firstly, our Gledhow colony celebrated its best ever year thanks to as near a perfect breeding season as we are likely to get. A record 38 breeding pairs (up from 33 in 2024) laid around 95 eggs, resulting in 78 chicks fledging. And if we include three foster chicks that were successfully fledged too then we had a record 81 new Swifts in the air this year. Read on for more details but needless to say we are delighted with these results. This is especially welcome given the bad season we had last year when just 33 chicks fledged, mainly as a result of poor weather conditions impacting on the insect population and leaving our Swifts with very scarce food supplies.
Swifts across the country responded well to the long hot summer. The weather was generally glorious and even on the few indifferent days, the temperature didn’t fall below 14/15 degrees which meant that adult Swifts could still find their insect food relatively easily. Overall insects thrived, creating a plentiful supply for our Swifts.
It was also a record year for our Swift Sanctuary albeit in a much different way. It was an exhausting summer for Linda, processing a record 121 birds (81 Swifts, 17 Swallows and 23 House Martins) and reaching a peak of 47 birds in the Sanctuary on 14 July (beating the previous record of 42 birds).
Sadly, not all the birds can be saved due to injuries and heat stroke, etc but 96 were flown successfully (76%). The last bird (a Swift) flew on 16 September. Amazing work Linda. All these birds would not have survived without your expert help and care.
These record numbers have largely been due to heat affected, dehydrated chicks seeking cooler air while in their nests during the prolonged hot weather and unfortunately falling out but we’ve also had the usual casualties as a result of home renovation and refurbishment work. Read on to find out more – including some amazing tales about how birds were found and brought into the Sanctuary.
Swift bricks – the pressure mounts
Pressure continues on national government and our local council to make the installation of Swift bricks in new build homes a mandatory requirement.
The recent public consultation by Leeds City Council (LCC) on the Leeds Local Plan gave us a welcome opportunity to make our case for Swift conservation. Thank you to everyone who supported us in this and gave feedback to the consultation. The more voices we can give to this the better and it means we keep up the pressure and momentum to ensure that Swifts are not forgotten.
The consultation closed on 15 September. Analysis and evidence gathering will now take place until Spring 2026 to be followed by further public consultation next summer on the proposed policies. Watch this space!
It was also welcome news to hear that a cross-bench group of peers has tabled amendments to the government’s proposed Planning Bill to stipulate that new buildings must have wild animal-friendly design and architecture. This includes Swift bricks, bat boxes, bird-safe glazing and hedgehog highways.
These amendments will be debated in parliament and the peers have written to ministers asking them to adopt these measures.
We’ll keep a close eye on this. Let’s hope that finally the government takes Swift action.
10 years and counting...
After such a busy summer it’s definitely time to take stock and, more importantly, begin celebrating our 10th anniversary which officially starts this month. Linda and Martin first set up our voluntary group of Swift enthusiasts in September 2015. Over those ten years Martin has successfully nurtured our showcase Gledhow colony from just three pairs of Swifts nesting in roof spaces in 2012 to 43 pairs nesting mostly in boxes in 2025.
It was never Linda’s intention to set up a Swift Sanctuary but calls to Leeds Swifts about grounded birds made this a necessity. Starting with ones and twos, the Swift Sanctuary was set up properly in 2020 because of a growing demand and since then Linda has processed an amazing 516 Swifts, Swallows and House Martins, saving on average 75% of birds each year – all of which would have been dead without rehabilitation.
Sadly the birds with terrible injuries and severe cases of starvation and heat stroke can’t always be saved but Linda gets excellent professional advice from Sarah at Holly House Vets along with a UK network of other Swift rehabbers.
The work that Linda and Martin do has helped greatly increase our knowledge and understanding about Swifts of which we still know so little.
Joining forces to share and develop this knowledge with other local Swift groups around the country as part of the Swift Local Network is a big part of what we do. We learn new things about Swifts every year which is vital in informing Swift conservation work and in helping ensure these critically endangered birds have a future. We just wouldn’t be able to do that without the enthusiasm and dedication of people like Linda and Martin – and all our members. We just wouldn’t be able to do what we do without you all, whether it’s campaigning relentlessly for Swift brick policy and legislation, providing a taxi service for injured and grounded Swifts, washing woolly Swift nests, building and installing nest boxes, getting us online, helping out at events or making a donation to support our work. A huge hats off and thank you all so much!
News from the colony
The first Swift arrived at the Gledhow colony on 26 April, which is the second earliest since Martin began recording 13 years ago. The last adult Swift left on 3 September, making the most of the good weather while it lasted to get a good start on the long journey south to winter in Africa.
Our near perfect season was the polar opposite – thankfully – to last year when poor weather and a Sparrowhawk wrecked breeding success.
Based on exhaustive observation of the whole street colony, we can be fairly certain that breeding pairs increased by five pairs from 33 in 2024 to 38 this year and laid around 95 eggs resulting in 78 successful fledgings.
These figures are calculated by analysing the monitored boxes where 18 breeding attempts produced 45 eggs. Of these, one clutch of three eggs failed because one parent went missing, followed by the death of the other parent after a fight. Two eggs were accidentally knocked out of nests and couldn’t be replaced, one tiny chick died and two other chicks were removed to the Swift Sanctuary. Thus 37 chicks fledged 45 eggs in the monitored boxes.
Using this information to extrapolate figures for the other 20 breeding pairs on the rest of the street (50 eggs being laid from which 41 chicks will have hatched) we reach the totals of 95 eggs leading to 78 chicks fledging. If we add three successful foster chicks from the Swift Sanctuary we believe that around 81 chicks took to the skies from the Gledhow colony. Quite an achievement!
Swifts were seen regularly entering four more boxes in the street and, along with three non breeding pairs in the monitored boxes, made for an estimated six non breeding pairs in total. This all means that we had around 89 adult Swifts in the 2025 colony. We estimate that along with their chicks, there will have been a maximum of around 170 Swifts (adults and chicks) in the Gledhow colony in late July. And this doesn’t take into account the gangs of immature Swifts that could be regularly seen flying through the colony and banging/flinging/clinging onto boxes and walls.
We noted a few inevitable fatalities during the season unfortunately. The first was a Swift found underneath a nest box where we weren’t aware of a previous occupation. This may have been the result of a fight in the nest box or just an accident.
One breeding adult failed to return to the nest at the end of May having possibly been predated by a peregrine at St Aidan’s RSPB reserve or similar site. Sadly its partner also died on the nest the following evening , possibly as a result of a fight – or maybe even a broken heart?! Their clutch of three eggs was taken to the Swift Sanctuary where Linda placed them in our new incubator and amazingly, one hatched. This chick was carefully nurtured by Linda and successfully fledged as you may have read on Leeds Swifts and you can hear more about later. Amazing stuff!
Another fatality was a well grown chick that somehow found itself on the ground in the street and being attacked by crows before we could intervene.
Two chicks that weren’t thriving in two of our boxes due to sibling dominance were removed from their nests and taken to the Swift Sanctuary for Linda’s expert care – both were successfully fledged.
And in a reverse move, three chicks from the Sanctuary were successfully fostered into monitored boxes at the Gledhow colony.
It’s a real pleasure to report on such a marvellous breeding season. Usually at the end of the season, we suffer from SSSS – Swift Seasonal Sadness Syndrome! But, after witnessing such a great four months, we can’t stop smiling as we plan for next year.
Swift Sanctuary – what a summer!
2025 has been an incredible season with, as reported earlier, a record year in terms of total numbers of birds and the number of birds in the Swift Sanctuary at any one time in July. There’s been the usual waves of highs and lows in terms of physical and emotional energy but we’ve had some interesting stories to tell this season as you’ll hear next.
But before that, we just want to say a massive thank you to each and every volunteer Swift taxi driver, you have all literally been life savers. It’s made a massive difference to the running of our Swift Sanctuary. And thank you too to everyone who brought a bird into the Sanctuary and then also made a donation, it was very much appreciated. We also gave one of Helen Lucy’s wonderful Swift booklets to everyone who brought in a Swift – more are being sent out in the post to those finders who didn’t have transport.
Tales from the Sanctuary
Most enjoyable were the tiny chicks! You’ve already heard about an egg being hatched in our new incubator, well that came as a complete surprise on the evening of 7 June. The eggs hadn’t been brooded for quite a while before being brought to the Swift Sanctuary but it was worth a try and we’re always learning, so each egg was turned as per brooding instructions.
When a couple started to discolour (a sign that the embryo had died or the eggs were unfertilised), it didn’t look as though the experiment had been successful so it was a joyful event to see that tiny, pink wriggly chick in the woollen nest.
Happy together – egg chick and Gledhow chick growing up together
Linda has reared tiny chicks over the last two years so, apart from the problems with eyesight and dexterity in the mornings, feeding wasn’t too much of a challenge this time. Four days later this wriggly youngster was joined by another tiny chick from the Gledhow colony. It’s always good for chicks to have some company!
On 22 June a tiny House Martin chick called Norman was brought into the Sanctuary. This was the youngest House Martin we’d received and was even smaller than the hatchling Swift chick! It’s so rewarding and pleasing to report that all the naked chicks grew well and flew successfully.
Amazing but true...
Two Swifts were sent to us via an Uber from Doncaster, funded by Swift SOS.
One Swift arrived via a DPD courier – actually found and rescued by the driver!
One Swift was brought to us by a finder from Harrogate who travelled by train to Headingley station then walked up to the Swift Sanctuary!
Sadly, 13 Swift chicks arrived because roofs were removed without surveys being done (all reared and flown safely) but the amazing case was a Swift chick that had been sitting on scaffolding for two days. A call had been made to our national SOS site but then the case went quiet and was unresolved. We then got a call from a builder in Belle Isle, Leeds about a chick which he’d rescued in Goole. And yes, you’ve guessed it, it was the same one! He’d no idea we existed so it was a complete coincidence and very fortunate for that poor little Swiftlet that the builder lived in Leeds. A quick call to SOS to close the unresolved Goole case and all was sorted. Unbelievable!
And finally, an adult Swift was found, half dead, in a pond in Barnsley. It arrived very weak with green boots on! It took a couple of days to revive it and untangle the blanket weed from its long claws but all went well and, after a good rest, it flew off.
Swift brigades flying high
Fireman Alex is celebrating some exciting high rise success with the eight Swift nest boxes he installed on the training tower at his Harrogate fire station. Swifts were regularly seen flying around the boxes but it wasn’t until he was able to take the boxes down at the end of the summer that he found nest evidence in all but one of them (see photos). After consulting with our Swift nest box expert, Martin, we think that although Swifts sometimes box hop, once they bring in feathers to a box it’s a fairly clear indication that they’ve set up home. So we think at least six pairs of Swifts have nested in the fire station boxes this summer which is amazing and especially considering that the boxes were only put up last year.
Alex is now on high alert to spread the success story to other fire stations in the region. Hopefully we’ll see more Swift brigades making their home on other fire station walls next summer.
And in more good news just in... 50 per cent of the money raised from next years’ annual Michael Clegg Memorial Bird Race (held on the first Sunday in January) will go to help fund the installation of nest boxes for fire stations agreeing to become Swift nest sites. Top stuff.
Crafty Swifting
“We have really enjoyed the session this morning. So informative and fun.”
“This was an amazing workshop! I had no idea Swifts were so endangered.”
These are just some examples of the positive feedback received from two crafting workshops we held for children during August at Grimes Dyke Primary School in Leeds. The school’s head teacher, Louise Hill and her partner are Swift enthusiasts and were keen to hold a Swift-related activity at the school during the summer holidays for the children.
The school is a Platinum Award winning outdoor play and learning (OPAL) school. The grounds have been developed to be as wild as possible and the children are encouraged to play outdoors in all weathers and learn about the plants and animals that live in the school’s eco-friendly environment.
The two-hour long workshops – one in the morning and one in the afternoon - were led by fab Leeds Swift supporter, Sue Cockroft and facilitated by Helen Lucy. Wall hangings and greetings cards featuring Swifts were created using block prints. In total 24 children and 24 adults attended the workshops which proved to be a great success and a really creative and imaginative way to spread the word about Swifts.
Huge thanks to Sue for organising these.
Out and about
Earlier this month, Helen Lucy went to talk to members of the Chapel Allerton ‘Chapel Pie’ Women’s Institute about Swifts and our Swift conservation work. She received a warm welcome and a very positive response. She’s now on a mission to spread the Swift word among other WI groups across the city.
The annual Spurn Migration Festival (Migfest) at the beginning of September usually signals the end of Linda’s marathon Swift Sanctuary rehabbing work and her first steps back into normality. This year was no different with Linda taking the opportunity for a well deserved break away from the confines of the Sanctuary but also making sure to promote Swift conservation to those attending the weekend of events.
Urgent call out for Swift helpers
Fancy helping to build Swift nest boxes or help fit them? We need a good supply of ready-made Swift nest boxes to be able to respond to the many requests we get for boxes and this is the perfect time of year to get busy making them.
Or maybe you’d like to help us get local roofers on board as an approved Swift friendly business? We urgently need roofers to be alert to Swifts nesting on buildings where they are called in to do work but unfortunately too many are just not switched onto this important issue.
Please get in touch if you think you can help with either of these requests and would like to find out more: leeds.swifts@gmail.com.
There’s lots of other ways to get involved with Leeds Swifts. Please download our volunteer sheet for more ideas. Just complete our form and send it back to Linda at leeds.swifts@gmail.com. We'll get in touch for a chat.
Any amount of time you can give is much appreciated and can make a real difference. Thank you.
Diary dates
19 October: Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles, BBC1 (12, 19 and 26 Oct & 2 Nov). Look out for Leeds Swifts on the 19 Oct!
8 November: SLN Conference, Lancaster University
4 January 2026: Annual Michael Clegg Memorial Bird Race – funds raised this time will be split between Leeds Swifts and the Sheffield Swift Network
7 January 2026: A Year in the Life of a Swift, Harrogate District Naturalists Society
4 March 2026: A Year in the Life of a Swift, Shepley Bird and Wildlife Group
29-30 May 2026: 8th International Swift Conference, ATU (Atlantic Technological University) Mayo Campus, Castlebar, Co Mayo, Ireland
Donations to Leeds Swifts – a vital lifeline
Thank you to everyone who has donated funds to help keep our Swift Sanctuary open and support our wider Swift conservation work. We really could not do what we do without your amazing support.
Each year we rehabilitate grounded Swifts, Swallows and Martins and return them to the wild. These birds would not survive without our care. Rehabbing is expensive – around £1,000 each year - and very time consuming but also extremely rewarding.
We’ve raised over £1,000 so far this year via our Leeds Swifts GoFundMe page (which we carried on from last year), so a huge thank you to everyone who has given their support, it’s very much appreciated.
Anything you can give to help us meet our target for this year (£1,500) would be really appreciated. We raised over £2,000 last year which helped us provide a new incubator for the Sanctuary which would not have been possible without your help. It was a real life-saver this season.
You can also sign up to Easyfundraising.com and turn your online purchases into cash for us, just by shopping normally, at no extra cost to you. Over 7,000 online retailers participate in this scheme including big brands such as Just Eat, Boots, Booking.com, Morrisons, Amazon, Ebay, M&S, John Lewis etc. All you need to do is sign up, choose Leeds Swifts as your charity and start shopping via the Easyfundraising.com website. The retailer you shop
with will send us a free donation based on how much you spend. It's amazing how quickly those small amounts build up. Every penny raised goes towards helping our endangered Swifts.
Onwards and upwards!
While the Swift season may be over, our work is never finished. We’re now busy planning for next season to try and make Year 10 our best yet.
As usual, you can keep up to date with what we’re doing throughout the coming autumn and winter months on our Leeds Swift Facebook page or by subscribing to our email list if you haven't already. And we’re always on the look out for volunteers to help us – there are lots of ways to get involved which we’ve detailed later in this newsletter, including some special requests for help in certain key areas of our work.
And finally – Leeds Swifts is set to make an appearance in the second episode of BBC1’s Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles, due for broadcast on Sunday 19 October. It’ll be a heady Sunday evening TV combo – Swifts and glitter balls (Hamza’s programme will be shown in between the two Strictly Come Dancing Sunday evening results shows)!
With best wishes from the Leeds Swifts team
Comments