Our aims

A Brief History

Something for everyone

Links with other Societies

News update

Our reserves

Membership details

Officers of the BOS

Guide for Observers

Programme for 2010

The map of the BOS area

News Update

Swift Conservation in the Cherwell District

The Status of Swifts in Britain

According to the British Trust for Ornithology, swift numbers in Britain have declined by over 40% in the last 15 years.  One cause of this decline is the loss of nest sites caused by building alterations and demolition work.

The Project

The Cherwell District Council Biodiversity Action Plan states that the Council will ‘identify buildings, including churches, which support important swift colonies and seek measures to safeguard and enhance these colonies; promote swift-friendly building maintenance and promote the use of swift nest boxes on domestic properties’.

In 2008 BOS member Chris Mason agreed with the Cherwell District Council to collect data about swifts nest sites in the District. This data is collated by the Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre and incorporated into a computerised distribution map which is available to the Council ecologist and local planners. This means that if a planning application is made which affects a nest site, the Council can make enquiries, and request that the nesting place is left unaltered, or that at least alternative provision such as a nest box is made.

So far information has been obtained from more than 50 of the 78 towns and villages in the District. Most of these still have at least a few nesting swifts. However there is still a lot to do and any offers of help or information about swift nest sites would be welcome.

More details of the project are available on the Cherwell District Council website (search under Swifts on the Environment and Planning pages).  The records are also being sent to the RSPB for inclusion in its database. The RSPB is encouraging builders and developers to be more swift-friendly.

In order to promote the project more widely Chris Mason has also produced a SWIFTS POST CARD. This is the picture on it.

 © Marc Guyt www.agami.nl

The cards cost 30 pence each or 4 for £1, plus postage. Any profits arising from sales of the card will be used to buy Swift nest boxes.

Further information about the project, copies of the 2009 report and enquiries about Post Cards can be obtained from him by emailing mason@cando.eclipse.co.uk

Gull Ringing Project – North Thames Gull Group

Members of the BOS get involved in various activities outside of our chosen study area. One of our members, Andy Turner, frequently travels to the refuse tips in Essex to join up with the North Thames Gull Group (NTGG).

The project involves catching and ringing samples of gulls feeding on the landfill sites serving parts of London and Essex. All birds caught are fitted with the standard individually numbered BTO metal rings. Individually numbered colour rings are also fitted to sample catches of the larger gull species. The number and letter combinations of the colour rings can be read in the field with good binoculars or a telescope and sightings are reported back through the normal channels at the BTO.

The colour ringing is already showing it's value with many birds being subsequently re-sighted from various locations home and abroad. One great black-backed gull ringed by the group was re-sighted just outside of our own study area. A lesser black-backed gull was report from the southern coast of Norway within a few months of being ringed.

Details of the NTGG’s activities along with details of the re-sighted birds can be found on the group’s website www.ntgg.org.uk

The BOS has been pleased to offer a degree of financial support to this worthwhile project.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

The venue for BOS Indoor Monthly Meetings is

The Freemason’s Hall, Marlborough Road, Banbury

(two buildings to the left of the Public Library)

There is a bar available in the hall and free parking is available in the evenings at the Cherwell District Council car park in Calthorpe Street (from where it is a hundred yard walk across the Marlborough Street Car Park - which charges in the evenings).  Any member with a disabled badge may park in the street directly outside the hall.