(riparia riparia)
The Sand Martin, sometimes called Bank Swallow, is one of our commonest summer breeding migrants in Scotland. It usually arrives surprisingly early, often in cold weather in mid March, when flying insects must be in short supply. It breeds colonially in vertical or steep sandy banks where it will excavate a horizontal tunnel into the bank. Usually it is not found far from water, a favourite nesting place being in a river bank. It is a very fast and agile flier making photography rather challenging. It winters in west Africa.