Yachats bird group gets help from two youth groups, Lions Club

YACHATS — Local bird activists have been joined by the Yachats Lions Club and area youth to help migratory birds survive and thrive.

A group called SWIFTY (Swallows in Flight to Yachats), aided by students from Newport High School and the 4-H Club of Waldport, have launched two programs to produce bird nesting boxes for tree swallows and purple martins.

Under SWIFTY’s guidance, the 4-H’ers created and installed 16 tree swallow nesting boxes to replace failing versions at the Tami Wagner Wildlife Area along the Yachats River. The Yachats Lions Club paid for the construction materials.

SWIFTY has also arranged with Newport High special education teacher Violet Brown to have students build 14 nesting boxes for purple martins. The cedar boxes are replacing dilapidated boxes on pilings in the Siletz River near Kernville. The Yachats Lions paid for all construction materials.

SWIFTY began building birdhouses for swallows in 2020 and later expanded their aid to include wood ducks and chickadees. More information about SWIFTY is available from Yachats resident Wally Orchard at 541-606-0055.