A FORMER prison officer’s plans to make Barnard Castle a haven for swifts has taken flight.
Ian Graystone has won support from the town council in his ambition to increase numbers of the red-listed species in the area.
Already he has convinced many of his Woodside neighbours to install nest boxes on their homes and, so far, 11 have been put up creating potential homes for 36 pairs of swifts.
Swifts were added to the UK red list for birds in December 2021 because of declining numbers.
Mr Graystone said: “They are a colony bird and they live in family groups so the more nest boxes you can get up in an area the better.
“They return to the same nest site with the same partner every year.
“One of the big problems is that the same size hole [in the nesting box] is sought out by starlings and sparrows.”
The 62-year-old gets around this by taking the boxes down once the birds begin their long migration to South Africa, but it can also be prevented by covering the holes.
Now the town council has thrown its weight behind the campaign after being approached by Mr Graystone, and will lead by example putting up two specialist nesting boxes at its headquarters at Woodleigh.
Town mayor Cllr Rima Chatterjee visited Mr Graystone’s workshop to see how he builds his bespoke nest boxes.
She said: “It is a fantastic project. I can’t imagine why people would not want to get involved.”
She was joined on her visit by Montalbo Primary School pupils Bobby and Rory Jordan who she recruited to help create awareness among their friends so that they, in turn, will encourage their parents to get involved.
Bobby said: “I think it’s very important and it’s a good thing.”
They were treated to a video taken by a CCTV camera outside one of Mr Graystone’s nest boxes showing young chicks looking out.
Mr Graystone said it could take as long as six years before the nest boxes make an impact on bird numbers because it can take three to four years for hatchlings to reach maturity.
Until then they remain on the wing and do not seek out nesting sites.
He added: “They feed and sleep on the wing for three or four years until they find a partner.”
The nature enthusiast is also pleased with the reaction he received to a letter he placed in the Teesdale Mercury about his campaign.
He said: “I’ve had people from Gainford up to Middleton contacting me.
“It is humbling for me how many people are interested.”
It did not take much convincing for his neighbour Tricia Child to have a box put up at her home earlier this year.
She said: “When we put it up it was within a day that a bird was interested. I am an avid swift watcher – I spend many hours in the garden watching them in the evening.”
Unfortunately no birds took up residence in her box, but she hopes for better luck next season when some from the Woodside colony that are still on the wing might want to start nesting.
Mr Graystone has also written to The Witham’s trustees asking them to put up one of his boxes and he believes if more residents and businesses get involved it could give the town an added attraction for tourist.
People can help by getting their own nest boxes or ordering a bespoke one from Mr Graystone which he sells at cost price.
For more information email Mr Graystone at iggyclimbs @live.co.uk.
