Passage migrant, which bred in the past.

Sand Martins winter in the Sahel zone of Africa. During the winters of 1968/69 and 1982/83 that region suffered severe drought which severely affected the Sand Martin population, and it is estimated that since the 1960s they have decreased by as much as 90 to 95%.

John Piggott recalled in 1979 that in 1940 there was a colony at a site by what was the old Stevenage Town Football Ground in London Road. This football ground is now the site of the Bus Interchange.

They are now passage migrants, mainly seen feeding over Fairlands Valley Lakes, from where they were first recorded on 25 June 1972, in spring and autumn. The earliest they have been seen there is 17 March 2000 and 17 March 2019. The latest autumn migration date is 20 September 1975. In the autumn there was a large “fall” of them on the morning of 16 September 1994. The largest number seen is 24 on 19 September 2025.

Other records: Astonbury 21 May 1975 and 25 September 1977; Astonbury 1979 and 1980; one at Norton Green Tip on 31 March 2006; two at Norton Green Tip on 26 April 2008; five at Shephalbury on 14 April 2013; one at Norton Green Tip on 2 May 2019; eight at Aston End on 27 July 2020.

Passage migrant and scarce summer visitor.

Swallow numbers fluctuate from year to year being affected by climatic changes, in particular cold weather whilst on migration and possible drought conditions. They are declining in Britain, this has been linked to large numbers of farms no longer having livestock and the consequent lack of insects on which Swallows feed, and also to the loss of nest sites due to farm building conversions. 

At Stevenage they were confirmed as breeding in eight of the town’s tetrads in the 1973 Breeding Atlas, in seven in the 1992 Atlas and in three in the 2012 Atlas.

Unusual nesting: in 1973 12 nested in outbuildings of Botany Bay Farm, (this farm is now part of the Great Ashby Estate), on 3 September 1977 a nest with young were seen in a Boiler House Roof at Astonbury Manor and, in 2015 and 2017 a pair nested in the underpass of the A1m at Norton Green.

The earliest spring arrival date is 14 March 1967 at Fairlands Valley. A very late autumn migrant was seen at Stevenage on 28 November 1978.

The largest recorded flocks on Spring and Autumn migration are; c.150 at Fairlands Valley Lakes on 29 April 2016 and, c.100 at Norton Green Tip on 3 August 2014.

Passage migrant and scarce breeding summer visitor.

House Martins rapidly colonized the new town housing of Stevenage and became a feature from the early 1960s until the 1980s. A survey in 1966 found 397 occupied nests in the town.

On 14 August 1975 a flock of 100+ were seen in Popple Way, in 1976 a flock of 100+ were seen at the Old Town on 5 August, and 70+ were seen at Fairlands Valley on 19 September. 90+ were seen on outbuildings at Astonbury Manor on 20 August 1977. 200+ were seen at Astonbury on 12 September 1980. 200 were seen at Fairlands Valley Lakes between 21 September and 2 October 1982. The largest flock of recent times is the 40 seen at Chesfield Park on 10 September 2014.

In recent years House Martins have seriously declined locally, the 1973 Breeding Atlas confirmed breeding from nine of the town’s tetrads, the 1992 Atlas from five and, the 2012 Atlas from three. Their numbers are known to fluctuate, and they are vulnerable to bad weather whilst on migration. In recent years they have also suffered from the reduction of ponds and muddy places, which are important for gathering mud for nest building, and from a reduction of insects on which they feed.

The last local nesting was recorded at School Lane, Aston in 2022 with adults seen feeding young on 3 September.

The earliest spring arrival date at Stevenage is 1 April 2021 at Fairlands Valley Lakes. House Martins are one of the last summer visitors to leave in the autumn and have been seen in Stevenage in November on four occasions; one was seen on 12 November 1883, one seen flying past the Towers on 7 November 1975, one over Grace Way on 2 November 1980, and one in fog along the Hertford Road on 1 November 1986.

Being amongst the last summer visitors to migrate they often brood young late into the autumn. On 10 October 1966 a nest with young still being fed was found at the B.A.C. Factory (now MBDA) in Gunnels Wood Road, a pair with young were seen at the same site on 23 October 1967 and young birds were seen still being fed in a nest at the Old Town on 4 October 1975.

A feature of the past was birds seen gathering on telephone wires before migrating. 20 were seen on telephone wires in Whomerley Road on 28 September 1970.