billytheghillie Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 I saw my first sand martins today on the river Tweed near Kelso, anyone else have them in there area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 Not yet,we've loads of Fieldfares and Redwings gathering,I think they must be getting ready to go home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loriusgarrulus Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 We used to have some behind the company buildings I worked in in Loughborough. They were doing some new building and the sand martins took up residence in the builders huge sand pile. They had to rope it off and get some more sand. Kept the Twitcher's on the staff happy for months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjpainter Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 Reports are coming in that they're back in berks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmydean Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 There was a large quarry I visited in a village called Crowton ? (north Cheshire). There were hundreds of sand martins in an exposed sand face and the quarry company were very good at leaving them alone whilst they bred and then doing any work in that area. They came back year after year and the numbers were up in the hundreds when I last went - lovely brown birds and such a noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 No Sand Martins as yet, but nice to see (and hear) the Oystercatchers are back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 I used to marvel at them as a kid when I was digging for sand roses up the quarry. I've not seen one for a few years now. I did see a non breeding pair of Doc Martins this morning in the shed though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 I used to marvel at them as a kid when I was digging for sand roses up the quarry. I've not seen one for a few years now. I did see a non breeding pair of Doc Martins this morning in the shed though. When I was a lad we had Bob Martins chocolates at Easter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmydean Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 I used to marvel at them as a kid when I was digging for sand roses up the quarry. I've not seen one for a few years now. I did see a non breeding pair of Doc Martins this morning in the shed though. Amazing - but what is a 'sand rose', rhyming slang ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandgun Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 I used to marvel at them as a kid when I was digging for sand roses up the quarry. I've not seen one for a few years now. I did see a non breeding pair of Doc Martins this morning in the shed though. according to the BTO doc martins are boots of special conservation concern and on the red data list, be careful ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felly100 Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 (edited) .. Edited March 20, 2015 by felly100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 Amazing - but what is a 'sand rose', rhyming slang ? No, they are mineral formations that create a floral type arrangement in the sand beds, usually about the size of a golf ball. I used to flog them to kids at school but eventually my greed led to a market saturation so I had to move into the blue clay crystal market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted March 20, 2015 Report Share Posted March 20, 2015 according to the BTO doc martins are boots of special conservation concern and on the red data list, be careful ! Yes, they have been pushed out of their high street habitat by identical but non-branded migrants and are now only found in isolated colonies like Bluewater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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