Bird Conservationists Decry Demolition During Migration Season
Campaigners assert that nesting swifts have been 'displaced' following the partial demolition of a building in Dorking, Surrey. The work, undertaken by Clarion Housing Group and Hill Group contractors, commenced during the birds' crucial migration and nesting period, a time when such activity is meant to be heavily restricted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
Photographer Amy Brewer reported witnessing swifts attempting to re-enter nests they have used annually. Conservation groups, including Dorking Swift Conservation and Banstead Swifts, warn that an established colony could be lost. They point to eyewitness accounts of swifts returning from migration and immediately seeking their traditional nesting sites, only to find them destroyed. The timing of the demolition, occurring over the past few weeks and coinciding with the nesting season (March 1 to August 31), has drawn sharp criticism, with activists seeking accountability under wildlife protection laws.
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Clarion Housing Group stated that ecological assessments were conducted prior to the demolition and continued throughout the works. However, this assertion is met with skepticism by groups like Banstead Swifts, whose volunteers raised concerns with Surrey police wildlife officers in early May. Activists emphasize that swifts, classified as one of the UK's most at-risk bird species, exhibit strong loyalty to their nesting sites, and such disruption can lead to them ceasing to breed in the area.
Context of Wildlife Protection and Development
This incident echoes similar concerns raised in Derbyshire recently, where activists protested against Network Rail for allegedly blocking swift nesting holes in a rail viaduct. In that case, holes among at least nine known nesting sites were reportedly filled with mortar in February, just before the swifts' expected return. Campaigners in both instances argue that developers and authorities are not adequately safeguarding protected species from the impacts of construction and demolition, even when nesting sites are known.
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The 'displacement' of swifts refers to their potential inability to find or access their established nests after returning from migration. This disruption can cause significant stress to the birds, potentially leading to abandonment of the breeding site and a decline in local populations. Swifts are known for their aerial foraging and roosting, often utilizing small cavities in buildings and structures for their nests. The demolition process, particularly when undertaken without meticulous pre-work surveys and strict adherence to seasonal restrictions, poses a direct threat to these established habitats.
