News

Wildlife sanctuary celebrates ringing of 10,000th sand martin

18 July 2010

One bird tracked over five years and 60,000 miles

A wildlife sanctuary marked a major milestone recently (Thursday 8 July) as the team ringed its 10,000th sand martin nestling, ahead of the birds’ autumn migration to warmer climes.

The Sanctuary, run by retired-farmer Bobby Smith, carries out annual ringing programmes and monitors birds returning to the area following their winter trips to Africa. The programme began in 1994 and is supported by The Crown Estate.

The Sanctuary has used pioneering methods introduced by Mr Smith, helped latterly by his partner Karen Miller, including artificial nesting banks. These structures allow the birds to breed in a safe environment, away from threats they may normally face in natural river bank nesting sites, such as flash floods, erosion and predation by mink.

These techniques have now been adopted at sites elsewhere in the UK and abroad, helping tackle the worldwide decline in sand martin numbers, which are in part due to drought in the African wintering grounds.

Notable achievements of the Applegarthtown sand martin ringing programme include birds which have bred at Applegarthtown being subsequently recorded in Senegal, only to return to the Sanctuary the following year. One bird was recorded for the fifth year running at Applegarthtown – having clocked up an impressive estimated 60,000 air miles.

Bobby Smith said, “It’s a real pleasure to have reached this milestone, achieved through the hard work of volunteers and staff at the Sanctuary, with the support of visitors and the local community. It’s always satisfying to be able to record birds as they return here in the spring, and it’s a joy to have witnessed thousands of sand martins make Applegarthtown their summer-time home over the years.”

Mike Libera, senior forest manager for The Crown Estate, said, “The Sanctuary has been a huge success in terms of nurturing wildlife and enhancing the biodiversity of the area. Bobby and his team must be congratulated for their sterling work and I’m pleased that The Crown Estate has been able to play a supporting role.”

A partnership with The Crown Estate is now being set up to assist in securing the future of the reserve.

The Applegarthtown Wildlife Sanctuary was created by Mr Smith in 1984. When he retired as the tenant at The Crown Estate’s Applegarthtown Farm, he continued to develop one hectare of the land as a haven for wildlife.

Changes to the water drainage system at the sanctuary have allowed a wetland habitat to develop which encourages a variety of wildlife, particularly bird life, to thrive. An upgraded picnic area, disabled access, and viewing hide have recently been developed.

The Crown Estate supports the sanctuary by providing resources - fencing, new hides, materials for the new sand martin bank and kingfisher bank – and occasional financial assistance. Mr Smith accesses further support from those on community service orders, Barony College students, school groups and local enthusiasts.

The Sanctuary has won the following awards:
1994: The Crown Estate Conservation Award
1997: Commended in the Natures Prize Award
1998: Highly commended in the Henry Ford European Conservation Awards

Ends
Notes to editors:
• On behalf of the nation, The Crown Estate manages a highly diverse £6 billion property portfolio across the UK.  The value of its holdings in Scotland is £237 million.
• Every year The Crown Estate pays all of its surplus revenue to the UK Treasury for the benefit of all UK taxpayers: in 2008/09 this was £226.5 million. £15.5 million of this came from Scotland.
• The Crown Estate is committed to working in partnership with the Scottish Government and members of the Scottish Parliament, local authorities and a wide range of other stakeholders to safeguard the long term interests of the environment and the communities with which we work.
• In Scotland, The Crown Estate includes:
 - The marine estate consists of over half the foreshore and the seabed out to the 12 nautical mile territorial limit. The Crown Estate has the right to explore and utilise the resources of the UK continental shelf (excluding oil, gas and coal), including the right to license renewable energy in the form of offshore wind, wave and tidal power. We are working with our partners to ensure that Scotland is well placed to take advantage of the benefits that renewables will bring through employment and by reducing carbon emissions.
 -  The rural estate in Scotland comprises 43,000 hectares and includes the Glenlivet, Fochabers, Applegirth, Stirling and Whitehill estates. It includes 185 agricultural tenancies and 102 residential properties.
 -  The urban estate includes retail property in Edinburgh.
• The Crown Estate in Scotland is managed from its Edinburgh Office at 6 Bells Brae Edinburgh EH4 3BJ.