Does anyone know if the planned sea defence changes at Redcar are going to affect the colony of >100 pairs of sand martins ?
I don't know if the work is going to extend past the colony but at the moment they are stacking blocks past the colony.
I have just had a reply from our local councillor, re this query....
"The issue of the Sand Martin colony was raised two years ago when the plans for the sea defences went to the first round of consultation. I know reassurances were given but since then I have heard nothing so will find out what steps are being taken"
Rob
If you do not receive a satisfactory answer then may I suggest you drop local MP and RSPB member Ian Swales the query, after all he lives approximately 500yds from the Sand Marten colony ian@ianswales.com.
He has recently and successfully campaigned to the Environment agency in lowering the height of the planned sea wall for residents of Granville Terrace who wish to maintain a view of the sea, and who knows maybe one day kiss the waves.
Thanks for these comments. I am somewhat re-assured that the authorities know about the colony and that they have as yet no plans to extend the sea defences past Green Lane. Any disruption will be temporary.
Two years ago the club was approached by a concerned, local resident, on the matter of the sea defences the colony, and how far along the coast the concrete blocks were to be extended. There were no plans for the structure to extend as far as the colony and as far as I know that is still the situation at present. At a council meeting I explained the importance of the colony in terms of their borough's diversity commitment and quoted data from the club's publication on breeding birds in Cleveland and R & C Borough in particular.
The paradox with Sand Martin colonies is that they require periodic erosion of the nesting bank to ensure the slope remains high and vertical, and if the defences had protected the nesting bank thoroughly, the site may well still be lost as the bank gradually " slumps" over a period of time.