Bird fans dig as summer visitors taking UK flight

A GIANT sandcastle has been built at a nature reserve, above, to give sand martins a place to raise their young.

The structure needed 400 tonnes of sand to complete, as well as an army of dads equipped with plastic spades (probably).

The idea is to encourage the summer migrants to breed at Spynes Mere, Surrey, for the first time in 25 years.

Tiny 12cm sand martins dig burrows up to 3ft into the sand and lay their eggs at the end.

They are one of several birds that spend winter in Africa and migrate to northern Europe in the summer to breed. Most are in decline, with fewer and fewer breeding in the UK. Causes boil down to the unholy trinity hammering all wildlife – climate change, habitat loss and industrialised farming.

Here’s a run-down of some of the UK’s migrant breeding birds and how they are faring.

SAND MARTIN When:

In the UK from mid-March to October.

Nesting site: Sandy banks

Where: All over Britain.

Population: Stable.

NIGHTINGALE When: April to August.

Where: Southeast England.

Nesting site: Dense scrub.

Population: 93% decline since late 1960s.

SWALLOW When: March to October.

Where: UK.

Nesting site: Farmland buildings

Population: 28% decline in last eight years.

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER When:

May to October.

Where: UK wide, but particularly south-west England.

Nesting site: Woodland.

Population: 90% decline since late 1960s.

CUCKOO When:

April to September.

Where: Mostly in Scotland.

Nesting site: The nests of other birds.

Population: 78% decline in England since late 1960s.