Saving the Swifts Project

21/11/2011

 BIRD SONG HELPS PROJECT TO NATIONAL ACCLAIM

Playing bird songs during a re-development of homes in South Cambridgeshire has helped protect the largest colony of swifts in East Anglia.

Special bird boxes have been built into the cavity walls of the new homes at Accent Nene’s re-development in Fulbourn – and a CD playing the nesting call of swifts was used to attract birds to their new homes.

The population of swifts was identified at prefabricated properties before work began to replace them with modern homes, and ecologists have worked with Accent Nene and local communities to put measures in place to protect the nesting birds.

South Cambridgeshire District Council’s ecology officer, Rob Mungovan, has now been recognised by the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management with the prestigious national Tony Bradshaw award for best practice for work on the scheme.

The old properties were demolished by construction firm – Kier – in phases outside of the bird-nesting season and ecologists used the CD of nesting calls to make sure the large population of swifts found the boxes on the new properties.

A community swift survey has now been set up to give residents a chance to learn more about the birds and measures being deployed to conserve them. The housing development has now been renamed The Swifts following the positive work ecologists and local residents have done within the village.

The Tony Bradshaw award is an annual national competition for projects displaying best practice in the field of ecology and environmental management and is named in memory of the first President of the Institute who devoted his life to the science and practice of ecological restoration.

Rob Mungovan, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s ecology officer, said: “It is very rewarding to be recognised by my peers from around the country as I am very proud of the work we have done with local communities and the developers to tackle this challenge. It was clear that this large colony of swifts had been nesting in the roof spaces of old properties for so long that new boxes needed to be integrated into the roof space of the new homes. Using the nesting call of swifts worked brilliantly to attract the birds to the new boxes and it helped them easily adapt to the new surroundings.”

Ray Manning, South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Leader and chair of the housing delivery project, said: “I am very pleased for Rob as he is an incredibly dedicated officer who always works very hard to deliver results for South Cambridgeshire communities. Significant work was needed in this area to bring the properties up to modern day standards, but innovative thinking has helped protect the environment in a way that was affordable.”

John Walton Head of Development and Sales at Accent Nene, said: "Over the course of the project we have worked enthusiastically with our partners to ensure that the swifts carry on nesting in Fulbourn and I'm delighted that the project has been such a success.”