Sand Martins return

Yesterday a number of Mid-Lincs RG ringers went to the artificial site and met up at 0400.  As in previous years a mist net was placed in front of the holes at first light and all the adults were caught.  Whilst they were being processed a further 32 nestlings were ringed.  Of the adult birds, 9 were new and 31 re-traps.  The vast majority of the re-traps were originally ringed in the nest at Biscathorpe giving excellent provenance of site faithfulness.  APD2267 was ringed as a nestling on 14/7/2019 and has been re-trapped each year except 2020 when we were unable to ring as a Group because of Covid.  

This morning Andy and I went to the Sand Martin artificial bank and ringed 43 nestlings.  Only four of the holes were unoccupied so we are looking forward to another good breeding year for the Sand Martins.  Within the next couple of weeks we will be catching the adults and see how many have returned from previous years.

After last years breeding season, Andy Chappell fills the entrance holes with sand on our artificial Sand Martin Bank in the Bain Valley.  Today he found that 22 of the 36 holes had been 'opened up' and there were 7 Sand Martins flying around - could be an early start to this years' breeding season.