Following on from my previous post.

For info and anyone thats interested Ive posted a picture on Flickr of Sand martins using the bank at Seaton.
The picture is only a small section of the whole thing.

/www.flickr.com/photos/139332735@N07/54510406277/in/datetaken/

Thanks for the useful responses. RSPB are aware and I understand are looking at the case: we will hopefully have some information on this next week. I believe English Nature have also been informed. Not sure about the police Wildlife Crime officer. We have some photos and video of the colony in the days before it was destroyed but if anyone has photos of it actually being destroyed that would be extremely useful. David, there is an artificial sand martin bank at Ham Wall but as far as I know it hasn’t been used. Sounds like the railway sleeper design might be a better option…

Many years ago a company in Kiddeminster,where I was living at the time destroyed an active Sand Martin colony nesting site. They were fined thousands,as I recollect it was at least £5000. Using that as a guideline I would think the minimum fine should be at least £10000.00

That’s really sad , I hope the company gets heavily fined and they suffer a lot of bad publicity for this act of vandalism.
So much if our wildlife is under pressure without this deliberate kind of destruction .

Not good at all.
If it’s of any help I was having problems with my local badgers being shot illegally a few years ago. And I got intouch with Somerset Badger Group who in turn contacted the local police wildlife officer.  He then went round the local farms and ‘had a word’ and the shooting stopped. So I’m wondering if someone should contact the police.
Also today I was at Seaton Wetlands. They have build a bank out of what looked like old railway sleepers with holes drilled in.
And put earth behind it. There were lots of Sand Martins using it.  Surely there is somewhere on the Levels where something similar could be built?

That’s terrible news Mat - can you keep us informed on any response? I’m away tomorrow for a week or so but can be contacted on email…

Very sad news on what may have been (judging by records in recent Somerset Birds) the largest sand martin nesting colony in Somerset. The colony was in a large mound of peat/compost in the processing yard of Durstons Garden Products, the peat-digging company at Sharpham, just east of Ham Wall. Yesterday morning some 30-40 martins were going busily in and out of at least 20 active holes (probably significantly more out of sight). By evening the entire mound had been removed by the company.

The company had been informed of the colony in previous years and I find it very difficult to believe that they were not aware of the birds. Several birders have recent photos and videos of the colony.  The destruction is of course an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act and other birders are taking this up with the relevant bodies. I shall be writing personally to the company to ask for an explanation (others might like to do the same) but I also wonder whether this is something our Society should take up?

I will leave it to others to posts on here any responses from Natural England etc. I don’t know the history of the colonies at Durstons so any information on that might also be useful.

Mat (Chairman)