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Man-made nests for city's sand martin colony

Wild Intrigue Two sand martins in flight. A stone wall can be seen blurred in the background.Wild Intrigue
The sand martins first appeared in the Ouseburn in 2023

A small urban colony of sand martins could be saved by an artificial river bank made with 48 nesting holes, a wildlife group has said.

The migratory birds were first spotted nesting in a post-industrial sandstone wall in Ouseburn, Newcastle, in 2023 and returned this year to successfully rear chicks.

Wild Intrigue, which wants to install the new nesting site, believes they are the city's only urban sand martin colony.

Co-director Heather Devey said it was "not a species any of us predicted to just turn up".

"That’s why they’re so precious," she said.

Naturally, the birds look for sandy banks along rivers, far removed from the "heavily engineered edges" of the Ouseburn and River Tyne, she added.

A population count before the sand martins left for the winter revealed there were at least nine active nests in the wall below the Free Trade Inn.

"It's really good going for being in this little urban wall," Ms Devey said.

Wild Intrigue Two sand martins sitting in a hole in a stone wall. Both are looking outwards.Wild Intrigue
Nine active nests had been established this year

But now, Wild Intrigue hopes it can build the artificial bank ahead of the birds' return from sub-Saharan Africa.

"The thing with sand martins is they can establish these huge colonies and the stronger the colonies they get, the more likely they are the remain in the area," Ms Devey said.

"So, if any of the chicks happen to come back, they’ve got somewhere to nest too and then the population can grow."

Wild Intrigue Three small brown and white sand martins sitting on a stone wall. One is peeking out of a hole in the wall.Wild Intrigue
It is hoped the artificial bank will safeguard the colony

The new bank will have back access points so that rings can be attached to the chicks to allow for further understanding of the colony and its movements.

It will also have a solar powered sand martin call system to attract more birds.

To pay for the new habitat, Wild Intrigue is fundraising £6,000 which will be matched by the Aviva Community Fund and offering the sponsorship of one of the nesting holes.

Ms Devey said the support for the project has been "incredible".

"It will be going ahead," she said.

"People are so excited by the fact they’ve got these sand martins here."

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