An intriguing exhibition is currently taking place at Oriel Y Parc, St. Davids.

‘Swifts Round a Tower’ is a joint exhibition by father and daughter Peter Brown and Elly Morgan, which has been inspired by Peter’s life-long fascination with the swift.

It is a wonderful display in words and sculpture and well worth a visit.

Now 85, Peter first noticed swifts as an eight-year-old child visiting an aunt in Northampton in the warm summer of 1939: “We made and flew paper aeroplanes. Our games were often interrupted by squadrons of screaming swifts flying low between the houses.

As a biologist, Peter has expressed his concern for the decline in our swift populations (by over 50 per cent in the last 10 years) - yet there are easy measures we can all take to stabilise this drop and increase population numbers.

His thoughts are gathered in his book ‘Swifts Round a Tower’, which is central to the exhibition.

Peter’s daughter, artist Elly Morgan, to mark Peter’s age, has crafted 85 ceramic swifts which fly in the centre of the Oriel Y Parc’s tower - and offered for sale too, with all profits going towards conservation.

Swifts arrive from Africa in early May and the lucky amongst us may well have already spotted, or heard, one or two. Not to be confused with swallows, the swift has a distinctive high-pitched call, which gives rise to their nickname ‘Devil’s Screamers’.

This fascinating and conservation-led exhibition also includes a short film produced and sponsored by Pembrokeshire-based Rebecca Naden, the distinguished professional photographer.

Free swift events include activity sheets, workshops, readings and music:

Poetry readings - Wednesdays, May 11 and June 1, at 11 am; Swifts Flying Origami Workshops - Saturdays, May 14 and June 18, 2 - 4 pm.

The publication of Peter’s book and this exhibition has been realised by the generous sponsorship of the following Pembrokeshire organisations: Signspeed.com of Cresselly, The Darwin Centre, Haverfordwest and Rebecca Naden Phtography.

Swifts Round a Tower runs until June 29 at Oriel Y Parc Gallery and Visitor Centre, High Street, St. David’s