Fr Martin Hogan from Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf Road, Dublin sent ECI this latest news:
Thanks to the initiative of a parishioner, Anto Kerins, five nest boxes for swifts have been installed on the side wall of the presbytery overlooking the church car park. There is a smaller box with an electronic calling device which is intended to attract the swifts. A grant has been procured from Dublin City Council towards the purchase of the nest boxes. Swifts come to Europe each Summer from Africa arriving in this country at the end of April/beginning of May and they make their way back to Africa in August, a round trip of 14,000. We will be keeping our eyes peeled for swifts around the church this summer. Hopefully, they will lay some eggs and we will have young swifts around for a couple of months before they fly off. For more information see swiftconservation.ie
One of the members of our Peace and Justice group has left part of her garden as a wild flower garden. Lots of bees and bugs and butterflies have arrived.
