It won't surprise anyone that we love our migratory birds, especially house martins. When I took on the dilapidated property that is now our practice (nearly ten years ago), the only 'residents' were a family of house martins nested up in the eaves, and we take a close interest in the nests locally on Station Rd.
One nest just a couple of doors down, that has been occupied every year, fell down yesterday. We searched everywhere and found three nestlings, nearly fledged, nearby on the pavement, which we sent to our friends at Hart Wildlife Rescue for their expert care. Sadly, one didn't make it, but the other two are doing well and will hopefully soon be released to hone their aerobatic foraging skills in preparation for the long journey back to Africa. They will be ringed by the BTO too, so we might learn a little more about these charismatic, extraordinary birds.
Martins, swifts and swallows, such an iconic and joyful feature of our summer time, are already returning in far fewer numbers year on year because of a number of challenges, the most profound of which is the climate crisis. Hart are receiving three times the usual number of these birds this year because of the intense heat causing nests to crack or be abandoned. If you would like to help them in the vital work, please go here to donate: https://hartwildlife.org.uk/donate-online/
To find out more about house martins, and how to help them, take a look here: https://www.rspb.org.uk/.../help-save-our-house-martins/
