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| Shattered panel on one of the nesting banks |
POLICE are appealing for information after one of two artificial Sand Martin nesting banks was severely damaged at a nature reserve in Rushden, Northamptonshire.
The banks had been installed three years ago by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trsut at a cost of £3,000 each.
Last year, they were occupied by Sand Martins for the first time.
It is understood that two nests were destroyed in the incident in which panels were broken and nesting tubes were thrown into the lake.
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| Juvenile Sand Martin at rest |
Says conservation manager for Northamptonshire Matt Johnson: "This is a very distressing incident for staff at the reserve and visitors who come here to enjoy wildlife.
"Disturbing a bird nest is a wildlife crime and sets back our ambitions to create a healthy population of Sand Martins at the Nene Wetlands.
"As a wildlife charity, we are here to create space for nature and protect species so to have to deal with criminal behaviour and harm to birds in this way is quite shocking.
"We hope those responsible will think very hard about what they've done and the loss of these beautiful birds.
"We will do our best to repair the bank but it will take time that we should be spending looking after the reserve."
PC Emerson Knights, of Northamptonshire police's rural crime team, comments: "Our team is dedicated to tackling wildlife crime and take reports like this very seriously.
"What happened to these nests was a mindless act of criminal damage that has harmed defenceless birds and caused a lot of upset for Trust staff and visitors.
"We are appealing for anyone with information about this incident to contact us on 101, quoting incident reference 25000372274, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."
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| One of the two nesting banks at the Rushden reserve |
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