FLYING AROUND THE FARLEIGHS
SHEILA'S SWIFTS
Like many parish churches, East Farleigh’s has benefited over the years from the dedicated support of volunteers. Sheila Allchin has been one of them for more years than she cares to remember, happy to turn her hand to any task asked of her. Unbeknown to most, though, she also plays a significant part in conserving our local swift population centred, as it is in many villages, in the lofty nooks and crannies of our ancient church.
Viewed by Christians and non-Christians alike - and those of no faith at all - swifts have a spiritual value in confirming that the cycle of nature continues, no small thing in a world dangerously close to climate breakdown. As poet Ted Hughes described their return:
‘Look! They’re back! Look!’
They’ve made it again,
Which means the globe’s still working, the Creation’s
Still waking refreshed.
And Sheila’s contribution? Her regular presence in the building lets her alert me to the seemingly inevitable problem of a swift, nesting in the chancel roof, becoming trapped inside the church. Once inside, the birds are doomed to starve – COVID was a disaster for birds trapped in locked-down churches as many perished.
A few weeks ago, Sheila’s annual call came after Sunday morning’s service – all the more urgent as a Christening was due to take place at two that afternoon. It’s actually a simple task to rescue trapped swifts (providing you are suitably licenced by Natural England) and within the hour the unfortunate bird had been trapped, carefully examined and set free again. It turned out to be a female bird that was still incubating young, so another two lives were at stake. It also meant she was at least two years old and had probably been hatched in the same nest cavity, or nearby – there are four artificial swift nest boxes on the building’s north wall.
Since fledging, therefore, she will have been permanently airborne for a remarkable two years at least, feeding, drinking and sleeping on the wing over central Africa and the southern hemisphere before returning to The Farleighs, even mating on the wing too, and eventually touching down to lay her two eggs in the Church.
As with previously trapped birds, a ring with a unique number to identify her should she ever be re-encountered was attached to her leg and she was released unharmed, immediately rejoining the small screaming group circling above the churchyard.
For me, the privilege of holding such a delicate scrap of life in my hand is always spiritually uplifting. Given the Christening due to take place an hour or so later, it was easy to compare the spirituality of providing the swift with a renewed chance of life with that of the belief that baptism is also the start of a Christian life for a child.
Let’s hope the infant’s life takes-off as joyfully as Sheila’s swift did! Thank you, Sheila.