Our Sand martin area started life as a cut quarry face from which sharp sand was extracted. As the rolling quarry face moved South across the land, the shallow sand face was left with a view to accommodating Sand martins long after the cessation of quarrying.

In the summer of 2003, the Round Square project students with the help of Aggregate Industries sunk 3 steel platforms into the ground to carry theses 4.5 ton capacity nesting barrels.

This idea of nesting barrels was commonplace around the country on sites and reserves, to increase the nesting opportunities for these gregarious colonial nesters.

The students cut 60mm holes around the barrels and filled them with sharp sand.

The returning birds readily moved into the barrels and natural sand face.

During the summer of 2005,  although 40 pairs of birds had used the banking and barrels, it was becoming apparent that fewer birds were choosing the barrels. Due to the nature of their shape and narrow filling neck, it was impossible to clean them out and refresh the sand. The natural sand face was collapsing and was severly undermined by rabbit diggings. A program was drawn up to completely re-design the Sand martin area.