Sand Martin

Description:

Sand martins are the smallest European hirundines (martins and swallows), with dark brown upper parts and dark under wings contrasting with otherwise pale under parts divided by a distinctive dark chest bar. These were skimming the waters surface for insects alongside the housemartins which they look very similar too. Breed in the UK and winter in Africa.

Habitat:

seen on the piper marsh of Potteric Carr nature reserve owned by the Yorkshire wildlife trust.

Notes:

labelled as an 'Amber' species due to the European poulation crashing twice in the past 50 years due to drought in their African wintering destination.