Watch Woody’s story on our YouTube channel here [like and subscribe for swift updates!] :

It’s always inspiring to hear from local residents helping Sheffield’s swift population grow. One great example from 2025 came from John in Woodseats, whose enthusiasm for his swifts has been infectious.

John first contacted us with questions about the activity he’d noticed around his nest boxes – indeed his queries helped inspire our Residents’ Guide – Swifts: Part Bird, Part Sky, which explains what signs to look for and what might be happening inside a swift nest.

Late in the season, John was delighted to see a pair of swifts enter his Peak Boxes nest box, lured by his new swift caller. We guessed they were first-time breeders – and soon their frequent visits suggested they were feeding at least one chick. Excited peeping confirmed the happy news!

As August approached and migration instincts strengthened, John noticed that the adults had stopped returning. When he discovered an abandoned chick, he quickly got in touch with us, and within two hours the young bird – soon named Woody – was safely in the care of swift specialists. Four weeks later, on September 15th, 2025, Woody was fit, strong, and ready to be released back into the wild, setting off on his first journey to Africa.

Inspired by the experience, John has had two Action for Swifts’ swift bricks expertly fitted by Jan of Nestworks to expand his colony and offer returning birds safe permanent nesting sites which will exist long into the future and serve many generations of swifts. 

With swifts due back in May, we’ll be eagerly awaiting John’s updates.

Swifts rely almost entirely on our buildings for safe nesting places. If you could offer a home for Sheffield’s next generation of swifts, please download our Homeowners Leaflet below and get in touch with photos of your house for free, no-obligation advice:

Together, we can keep Sheffield’s skies alive with the sound of swifts!

Get in touch.

Sheffield Swift Network
📧 sheffieldswiftnetwork@gmail.com
🌐 sheffieldswiftnetwork.org
📞 07850 799 891