Bridgend County Council and the Environment Agency Wales in conjunction with Glamorgan Wildlife Trust have constructed a plan to carry out river bank repairs to lower Newbridge fields, above the A48 road bridge where the bank has been eroded on the left hand side. However due the presence of nesting Sand Martins in the river bank, the planned works have now been delay until the birds have vacated and a new suitable nesting area further along the river bank has been developed.

On sunday 22nd June 2003, while walking along the river bank, I was able to witness the actual birds entering and leaving their nests while feeding their young.

Sand martins and the law
Sand martins and their nests are fully protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Under the Act it is an offence to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird. It is an offence to intentionally take, damage or destroy the eggs or nest of a sand martin while it is in use or being built.

Sand martins often turn up at active sand quarries. They will tunnel into the quarry face even when the sand is being excavated, and in some cases have been known to start nesting in heaps of loose sand. Quarry owners and their workers are likely to be helpful if warned about nesting sand martins, and can often work around the colony or avoid the immediate area until nesting has finished.

Source: Sand martin wildlife information leaflet (1998)