I always marvel when I see swifts, they make me stop for a moment and focus on their lives and incredible journeys. We sadly never see them around our house or field but spot them darting at speed around town buildings and on the Somerset Levels.

This RSPB description describes them perfectly and explains the plight they are in and what small changes we could make to help them survive and thrive in the future.

‘The Swift is a medium-sized aerial bird, which is a superb flyer. Sleeping, eating, bathing and even mating on the wing (while flying), Swifts rarely touch the ground. They are also the fastest birds in level flight, with an impressive top speed of 69mph. Swifts are plain sooty brown, with a white throat, but in flight against the sky they appear black. They have curved wings and a forked tail. Swifts are summer visitors, breeding across the UK, but are most numerous in the south and east. Spending their winters in Africa, Swifts migrate 3,400 miles twice a year, stopping off to refuel in places like Portugal and France along the way. After a long flight back from their summer in Africa, Swifts have one thing on their minds – to mate. Swifts pair for life, returning to the same site each year for a little nest renovation before laying and incubating their eggs. They like to live in houses and churches, squeezing through tiny gaps to nest inside roofs. But as more old buildings are renovated and gaps in soffits closed up, Swift nest sites are fast disappearing. This, in part, resulted in Swifts being added to the red list in the 2021 UK Conservation Status Report. Red is the highest conservation priority, with species on this list needing urgent action. Species on this list, such as Swifts, are globally threatened, with big declines in breeding populations and ranges. That’s why Swifts urgently need our help. By installing a Swift brick in a wall, or putting up a nestbox, you could give a Swift a place to rest and raise a family’.

The best book I have read about Swifts is David Lacks ‘Swifts in a Tower’ first published in 1956 updated in 2018, I can highly recommend it if you enjoy nature writing and getting to the essence of this fabulous little birds life.

John McGeoch’s bird records (you can read about his work and inspiration for this series of work in this earlier blog) track every time he saw a swift, dating back from the 1940’s when they would have been a common site and very much part of our seasons migratory story. Using a selection of the cards as a backdrop I am aiming to print cards onto fabric and then stitch into the backing to create an impression of their speed and flight.

The image below shows the planning stage to get the scale correct and select the cards to be scanned ready to send off for printing. The work will feature three painted and hand stitched swifts travelling across the card records.

Below – I began by selecting a piece of fabric close to the overall colour of the bird, cutting it to the correct size and shape. I then applied Bondaweb to the back of the piece and ironed it onto a piece of violene.

Using Textile paints I then started painting the details of the head and body. Other details will be added as the stitching progresses. This is the first of three swifts to be created.

Below – the bird, now backed with violene is placed in a hoop ready for stitching. I really enjoy selecting every thread colour that may be of use in the piece so all are at hand as I start to stitch. I always start with the face, especially the eye. If this area isn’t captured well the piece cannot work, so knowing this stage is successful means I am happy to move onto the body and wings later.

Below – First swift, early stitching underway (inspiration from photograph by Robert Booth).

Second swift – this image is very strong in terms of capturing the speed of the bird but not easy to stitch and make it feel like its in motion and 3D (inspiration from photograph by Robert Booth).

Below – Stitching started, outlines and colour selection underway.

Swifts, because of their speed are not easy to capture as a photograph. This wonderful shot by Gary Faulkner gives incredible feather and colour detail to be inspired by and work from. Birds that are mainly one colour, particularly when that colour is brown are more difficult to create. Photos such as the one below help me to add feather texture and detail to a piece.

Below – three stages of drawing and painting

Step 1 – outline in iron removable pen. I have so little of this wonderful coloured piece of fabric left that every piece is precious so this little swift is squeezed into a tiny remnant.

Step 2 – white under throat details and dark paint areas added.

Step 3 – main details added with lighter paint colours. Piece ready to be fused onto Violene and placed in a hoop for stitching.