East Dales Ringing Group

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Projects - Blackheaded Gull - Grey Lag Goose - House Martin - Little Ringed Plover - Merlin - Muteswan - Pied Flycatcher - Sandmartin - Swallows - Wood Warbler

Strange isn't it that a trip to Canada in 1992, where we were absorbing the avian delights of a whole new country, should result in a winter's obsession, creating what was possibly the first House Martin cote in Britain. The idea began to take shape whilst we admired the immaculate, world-famous, white timber-framed condominiums constructed specially for Purple Martins, that vociferous and robust distant cousin of our more delicate House Martin.

On our return home, we designed and built a similar structure with House Martins in mind and fixed it to a five metre high post. At first glance it resembled an oversimplified pagoda and seemed to defy gravity, appearing rather top-heavy. The exertions of raising it and double bolting the post to a very solid stone wall, caused the four strapping men who had volunteered for the task to have rather ruddy faces.

The next phase was selecting the type of artificial nests which would be attached to the dividing boards underneath the spacious roof Having made the decision not to buy commercially produced concrete nests, we produced our own and added horticultural Vermiculite to the mixture, considerably lightening their weight, something to be taken into account when subsequently having to balance on a ladder whilst removing them for inspection with one hand!

Inauguration year was 1993 and with four artificial nests fitted, we waited in hope for the House Martins to return. The first wave arrived in the village during the spring, but no birds showed any interest in our facility. However, later in the summer and much to our delight, a pair took up residence and reared three chicks. If you have never really listened to it, the song of a male House Martin, whilst not in the prime songbird league, has a lovely, deep warbling quality and has become a feature of our summers here at Sharow ever since.

The number of breeding pairs has gradually increased see (summary) and we have been privileged to watch the complex life style of the House Martins at close quarters: females changing partners (males are far more faithful to their nests), double broods being reared, the juveniles' first unsteady flights encouraged by their parents and, throughout the nights, a constant soft chittering as the chicks are growing. RAS Project No 50 registered 1998.