Hello, if you've noticed screaming in the air and little scythe-shaped birds high above you, you'll have seen that the swifts have returned for the summer!

Swifts are incredible birds, migrating 3,400 miles twice a year. That means by the time they reach Bowes Park, they're likely to be tired and hungry!

These birds are sadly on the UK Red List, meaning they're in critical decline. But you can help them:

• Swifts nest in holes – often inside old buildings or sometimes in specially designed swift nestboxes. So consider putting up a nestbox if you have space for one, and if you have swifts nesting on or near your property, thank you for providing them with a safe home!
• Swifts eat flying insects and spiders (yeh!) so you can also help by not mowing your lawn in May, and allowing wildflowers to flourish wherever you can. This in turn attracts insects.

You can also record sightings on the RSPB's swift mapper: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sust...

The RSPB also has information on how to tell the difference between siwfts, swallows and martins: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z...