Sand martin bank

mgwhelan

A river that flows threw our land burst it's banks there last week and took a big chunk of bank away with it. Just wondering if it would be suitable for a sand martin colony? It's ten maybe eleven feet hight high with the top third been soil and gravel and the rest been grey clay. I'll have to make it more plum and cut off the overhang of grass to stop predators.
Do they use clay banks for nesting and is this bank suitable?

LostCovey

mgwhelan wrote: »

A river that flows threw our land burst it's banks there last week and took a big chunk of bank away with it. Just wondering if it would be suitable for a sand martin colony? It's ten maybe eleven feet hight high with the top third been soil and gravel and the rest been grey clay. I'll have to make it more plum and cut off the overhang of grass to stop predators.
Do they use clay banks for nesting and is this bank suitable?

They have fairly exacting requirements, as they need sandy soil that is loose enough to dig, but dense enough to hold a shape without collapsing.

In general only one stratum in a nbank or quarry will have sand/soil of the right structure for sand martins and all their tunnels will be in this layer.

I think you coul improve the attractiveness of your riverbank by drilling sand martin-sized holes (and inserting pipes if collapse is a risk.

Check out the Sand Martin section in:
http://www.bto.org/sites/default/files/u15/downloads/publications/guides/nestbox.pdf
for more details. Extract from this freely available document is pasted below.

LC

Sand Martin
Riparia riparia

Tunnel filled with sand
Up to 1000mm long, 100mm diameter.
Arrange several earthenware pipes filled with sand in a natural or artificial sandbank. The pipes should preferably be at least 350mm below the bank top and at least 350mm above its base. An artificial bank can be constructed from rubble with a cement facing. Only the pipes themselves will be excavatable by the birds. Loosen the sand at the entrance to the pipe to show the birds where to burrow, but ensure that sand inside the pipe is still easily visible from outside. The pipes should slope very gently down to the entrance to allow for drainage. The bank should be vertical or overhanging slightly. Plant the top with overhanging vegetation. Where tunnels are made in an artificial bank, place a ball of hard packed sand at the far end of the pipe so that the birds can excavate a nesting chamber of greater diameter than the rest of the tunnel. Ensure that the rubble above this sand will not collapse when the sand is excavated. Pipes should not protrude beyond the bank face.
One very successful artificial site was created in a canal bank faced with sheet steel piling. Circular holes cut in the piling formed the entrances to the clay piping tunnels behind. Occasionally Sand Martins have nested in freshly dumped piles of wettish but firm sand. It may be worth leaving such heaps of sand for them. Sheets of corrugated iron separated by a 200mm depth of sand in such heaps will keep the nests free of rain water and also prevent the tunnel roof from collapse. The sheets should slope slightly downwards to the tunnel entrances for drainage. It will be worthwhile digging a few beginnings of tunnels.
In natural banks, Sand Martins can be attracted to nest by starting holes with a trowel. This is useful in places like sand quarries where certain banks are only safe for a season and others are to be removed. Each spring, clean out the artificial burrows and repack them with fresh sand. Inspection of these nests can only be made if a hatch is made in the rear of the pipes or with an endoscope. This is possible if the whole nesting colony is built within a metre- wide artificial bank.
Nest: lined with plant material and feathers. Eggs: 4-5, white.

swifts need our help!

How about this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrsOC8TGwH4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaWgqkiMTRo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buFZrm4ywvM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXwqsJdvWyI

swifts need our help!

MGWhelan I wouldnt remove the over hanging grass

swifts need our help!

The sand martin bank above is in a building site just outside of Antrim town about a mile from my house. It collapsed after the thaw in January. In early April 3 of us remade the bank by digging about 40 feet of collapsed soil.

Mark

mgwhelan

Thanks for the reply's, yes Mark i'm going to cut back the grass and also cut back the bottom of the bank to make it more plum. Found this page on the RSPB website pretty much the same as what LC said. Try and find a place that sells that kind of concrete pipes wont be easy, I wonder would they use plastic pipes with braining holes put in them?

http://www.rspb.org.uk/ourwork/conservation/advice/sandmartins/index.aspx