Sand Martin Wall

The How to Build Guide booklet has arrived and is free of charge. DM me if you're interested in a copy. It's also available at the link below. drive.google.com/file/d/1iEqgek…

@darfau7 drive.google.com/file/d/1A8TFfl… Here it is Dani

@SandMartinWall Hi, I've just arrived to this account. Link is not working, where can I download the guide? Thanks😊

The How to Build Guide booklet has arrived and is free of charge. DM me if you're interested in a copy. It's also available at the link below. drive.google.com/file/d/1iEqgek…

@RabbleChorus drive.google.com/file/d/1A8TFfl… Hi Kirsty, try this link.

@SandMartinWall Hi the link doesn’t work & I can’t DM you because I don’t have a verified paid for account. I’d love to find out more about how we could do this on our land if possible please.

@adhib drive.google.com/file/d/1A8TFfl… Here yiu go Adam.

@SandMartinWall Has this link changed?

@DavdotFo 😪

@SandMartinWall You are so lucky, we had a thriving colony year after year in the Reddish Vale Country Park but Stockport MBC bulldozed the overhanging river bank for H&S reasons. A very few found another small bank further up river

The Sand Martin are very active here at the minute. A wave of new arrivals showed up in recent days with huge demand for available tunnels.

@adhib I'm on the case Adam.

@stormwater_jo We have 140 nests which is more than adequate presently. Last season there were 51 breeding pairs. If at some point in the future more nests are required we can provide additional tunnels . Mortality rates are high for Sand Martin.

@SandMartinWall Do you have to provide additional holes every few years to accommodate the offspring of the original residents?

@MarkSmyth1960 I'd play until August 1st if it's not bothering you or the neighbours. One year with me my birds didn't begin nesting until early June. I'm really interested in how this trial plays out.

@SandMartinWall should I play sand martin calls all summer or is the point when I should stop? House calls on gable. Sand martin under the eaves #ripariariparia #sandmartin

@RingersWm @farmfornature @IslandWetlands @WildwoodTrust @IFAmedia Yes it is! I'm confident it will be successful given time. It's closest colony is one mile away. The habitats on this farm are excellent and include over 10 ponds.

@SandMartinWall @farmfornature @IslandWetlands @WildwoodTrust @IFAmedia Absolutely stunning!!!!

Today l visited Kim & Mirielle McCauls farm in South Kildare. They've built a fab Sand Martin Wall on the banks of a newly created pond with support from Refarm Ireland, an initiative set-up to fund Nature positive actions on Irish farms. It looks amazing!

Sand Martins 'swarming' in the early morning light, and checking out old nesting sites used last year. Many are already starting to open up fresh burrows in the sandy cliff which will hopefully provide safe nest sites for the next generation here at Minsmere! (14th April 2026)

@FoxWhitfield @WildwoodTrust Goodluck with it Paul!

@SandMartinWall @WildwoodTrust Yes! Hoping we might get some nesting. So far we have a Great Tit using one of the boxes for a nest.

We were delighted to officially unveil our new swift box display and information boards at the park entrance at Wildwood Trust, alongside Cllr Steph Jupe in her role as Sheriff of Canterbury. This important installation is designed to inspire and support local residents with practical guidance on installing swift boxes, helping to create much-needed nesting spaces across our communities. Swifts will soon be returning to the UK after their incredible 6,000-mile migration from central Africa, but their numbers are in steep decline, particularly here in the South East. Now listed on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern, largely due to the loss of nesting sites and a decline in insect food. This makes the timing of this display especially important! We’re incredibly proud to be part of this collaborative effort and would like to thank everyone involved in bringing the project to life, as well as the continued support from the Council and local partners. By showcasing this at our entrance, we hope to raise awareness and empower more people to take simple, meaningful steps to help swifts return, nest, and thrive once again 💚

Hundreds of Sand Martins feeding and perching in the reeds, Great Crested Grebes displaying and a few diving ducks from the Island Mere at Minsmere, Suffolk, in cool, overcast and breezy weather (10th April 2026)

1/2 Early morning can be the busiest time for our Sand Martins, and with the reserve now open at 7am, why not get some medicine for the mind and drop down to the Borrow Dyke Hide and just sit, watch and listen to the birds, even for a few minutes!

Beautiful #Spring day. Lovely walk through #Saltaire up to Baildon Moor. The sand martins are back along the canal in Shipley, in the run down old building. The #otter was showing off again in the river & the skylarks were singing their little hearts out. #Perfect ❤️

@MarkSmyth1960 I counted 14 in the air today. Very little activity at the nests Mark.

@SandMartinWall How many are home now?

March 6th 2026 I'm thrilled to report four Sand Martin have returned marking the beginning of the 2026 season. This is two weeks earlier than our earliest ever record of March 20.

Our Sand Martin's are back in big numbers this am and very active at the nesting banks. This video shows the view from our outside camera this morning and our first visit to burrow 19 by a returning bird! You can check out our Sand Martin nestcams 24/7 on our YouTube channels!

@MarkSmyth1960 Hopefully not. I'm not sure these early returners will survive.

@SandMartinWall And snow for later this week

We say it time and time again. It’s not just about ringing but creating and maintaining habitat for our flying friends, we have cleaned and prepared our @SevernTrentLife Sand Martin Bank & it looks stunning for their return. We are really hoping for an increase on our 2nd season