Local resident John McClung provided information of nesting birds before they migrated for winter, helping to inform Translink’s decision on where to place the nest boxes. John is pictured with Translink’s Jason Wylie (right).
As part of its commitment to wildlife and conservation of biodiversity, Translink has installed new nest boxes for Swifts on a railway retaining wall at Queen Street, Ballymena, following the completion of essential repointing works.
The project is part of Translink’s Biodiversity Action Plan which recognises that the railway environment in particular functions as a green corridor across a range of habitats that are important for biodiversity.
Translink’s Head of Structures Paul McBurney said:
“Protection of our biodiversity and the habitats of protected species such as the Common Swift is important to Translink and forms part of our wider ‘Go Eco’ strategy.
As part of its commitment to wildlife and conservation of biodiversity, Translink has installed new nest boxes for Swifts on a railway retaining wall at Queen Street, Ballymena.
“I am delighted that the Structures team have worked in partnership with the community, our customers, suppliers and staff to create new habitats for returning birds in the summer and we will continue to identify and protect potential nesting sites across the rest of the railway corridor as part of our annual asset examination programme.
“We appreciate the input from a local resident John McClung who reported sightings of nesting birds before they migrated for winter, which helped inform our decision on where to place the nest boxes.
“We look forward to receiving similar local information as we extend this programme along our railway network”.
Paul concluded:
“Extensive research was carried out by our structures maintenance team to establish the specification for swift boxes including dimensions, opening size, height and orientation in order to have these constructed from recycled timber and installed along the length of the recently repaired retaining wall”.