About the event

The house martin is a common summer visitor to the UK, arriving in April and leaving in October. It builds mud nests, sometimes in small colonies, under ledges, on cliffs and, as their name suggests, under the eaves of houses, returning to the same nest in years to come. Both males and females help to build the nest, collecting mud from streams and ponds and building up layers with bill-sized pellets. A nest can take them days to build, so reuse saves them a lot of work.

A once common sight in towns and villages, as well as in agricultural areas, flying around to catch the flying insects and aphids they feed on, house martins are now a Red Listed Species in the UK.

Long time supporter of the house martin, our aptly named presenter, Martin, will share his passion for these birds, their life cycles and what is can be done to support them. He outlines how the colony on his house, which began over 40 years ago with a single natural nest, now numbers 34. The colony now uses artificial nests well as natural ones and is going from strength to strength. Martin will describe ways we can all help house martins when they return to breed in the UK.

Martin has been involved with survey work and detailed colony recording work as a British Trust for Ornithology volunteer. He has also worked extensively with Suffolk Bird Group and Suffolk Wildlife Trust to encourage more people to help this beautiful bird.

This Wildlife Live Webinar is part of a series of online events on a range of wildlife topics. It is scheduled to last approximately one and a half hours, including a presentation plus a questions & answers session. Suffolk Wildlife Trust uses the Zoom platform for its webinars and, when you book, you will receive simple instructions on how to join the event from the comfort of your own home. When booking, please input the same email you will be using on the night. Subtitles are available.

(photo courtesy of Martin Tickler)

TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT, WHETHER PAYING BY PAYPAL OR CREDIT CARD, PLEASE ENSURE YOU SCROLL DOWN TO FILL IN THE BOOKING FORM AND COMPLETE YOUR BOOKING BY PRESSING THE ORANGE 'PLACE BOOKING' BUTTON.

Please ensure you enter your email correctly when booking as we will use this email to send you the links you need to join the Wildlife Live Webinar via Zoom. Your confirmation details and Zoom access will be specific to the email you submit. If you have any issues with booking your place or receiving the follow-up email, please contact us on networks@suffolkwildlifetrust.org.

All places are non-refundable. Full Terms & Conditions are available on our website via this link.