Sand Martin Reflection
On a sunny afternoon there is no quieter place to go than down to the River Ouse at Red House Landing. All seems so peaceful there until you notice the frantic activity of the swallows and sand martins. These small birds, which have recently returned from Africa, spend all the daylight hours skimming the water surface either snapping up the insects or taking a drink. It is with particular relief that the sand martins are back. They have been absent for the last 2 years after 2 consecutive summer floods inundated their river bank nesting sites and drowned many of the young. Their numbers seem low at the moment but, with a good breeding season, these should soon pick up.