Durham Bird Club at 50
The county avifauna, The Birds of Durham (Bowey and Newsome, 2012) records that “A public meeting in late 1974 at Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery to discuss bird watching and recording was well-attended. This was followed on 8 January 1975 by another meeting and enrolment for membership of the Durham Bird Club began shortly afterwards.”
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We shall be organising various projects and events during the year to commemorate this special anniversary. These include a "Bird of the Week" feature, appearing below.
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Bird of the Week - Week 31
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House Martin – A Familiar Visitor, Preparing to Leave
​​(Photo by Mark Harper)​​​
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There’s something heartening about the sight of a House Martin nest tucked neatly under the eaves of a house or school – a seasonal landmark marking the return of spring. But now, as summer quietly edges on, things are shifting. With breeding largely complete, Durham’s House Martins are starting to gather in flocks, feeding-up in preparation for the long journey back to sub-Saharan Africa.
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Sleek, swallow-like, and often overlooked, House Martins are more than just aerial dots in the sky. Their white rumps and deeply forked tails make them easy to pick out as they skim and swoop after insects, often high above rooftops, tree lines or low over water bodies. At rest, they cling to walls and wires, and are more often seen on the ground than other hirundines, chattering quietly among themselves.
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In County Durham, they’re still a familiar sight in towns and villages, nesting communally under the shelter of buildings. They’ve shown resilience, but numbers have been a concern in some areas. Dry springs, shortages of mud for nest-building, and changes in building design have all played a role. Fortunately, in many places across the County – from rural hamlets to suburban streets – they’re still returning year after year.
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Now’s a great time to watch their pre-migration flocks – often joined by Swallows – as they hawk insects in open skies or feed low over fields ahead of their departure.
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Are you seeing gathering flocks near you? Or do you have a favourite local nesting colony? We’d love to hear where they’ve been active this summer.
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More information on ​House Martins
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E-mail: admin@durhambirdclub.org.uk
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#HouseMartin #SwallowsAndMartins #BirdMigration #birdsofinstagram
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