A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
riparia riparia
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.
seen on the piper marsh of Potteric Carr nature reserve owned by the Yorkshire wildlife trust.
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.
No Comments