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By Aaron Ibanez - Local Democracy Reporter

The Manx public is being urged to keep their eyes on the skies tonight and be on the look out for an ‘acrobatic’ visitor.

 

Manx Birdlife is hosting an Island-wide count between 8-9pm this evening, part of RSPB’s Swift Awareness Week.

 

Swifts are a migratory bird which fly over 7,000 miles from central Africa to the British Isles and the Isle of Man to nest, every year.

 

It’s hoped that with the help of the public, the charity can have a better understanding of the visiting population on the Island.

 

Volunteer Felicity Hawton says the numbers of swifts has fallen by more than 50% in the last 20 years.

 

She says breeding has been negatively impacted by building repairs, as the bird returns to the same nesting spot every year, however one solution is to install nestboxes.

 

Ms Hawton praised the ‘wonderful’ Castletown Commissioners, which has put up a number boxes around the local authority building.

 

Anyone interested in taking part in the count is asked to email felicity@manx.net with both the number and whereabouts of your swift sightings.

 

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