Crowds flock to see rare bee-eaters

More than 3,000 bird watchers visited Low Gelt sand quarry near Brampton in Cumbria during August and September 2015 to see a pair of rare bee-eaters raising their chicks.

With their kaleidoscopic plumage bee-eaters are one of Europe’s most striking and beautiful birds.

They were discovered by quarry foreman Robert Golding, who noticed the colourful birds flying amongst the site’s colony of nesting sand martins in June. The RSPB were alerted and quickly established a 24 hour nest protection programme.

Once the eggs had hatched, the RSPB set up a viewpoint on the perimeter of the quarry, offering excellent views of the birds. Volunteers were on site daily from 8am to 8pm from the end of July until mid-September to manage the influx of visitors.

Bee eaters are normally found nesting in southern Europe and this is only the fifth record of them breeding in the UK in the last century. However, visits have increased in recent years, prompting speculation of colonisation. Last year two pairs successfully raised chicks on the Isle of Wight. Prior to this, birds had nested in Herefordshire in 2005, County Durham in 2002 and Sussex in 1955.

Mark Thomas, from the RSPB, said: “Bee-eater sightings have really been on the increase in recent springs and we were delighted to see them breeding in the UK for the second consecutive summer. Pushed northwards by climate change, it is highly likely that these exotic birds will soon become established visitors to our shores thanks to partnerships like this one with Hanson.”

Bee-eaters are a schedule 1 species, which means that intentional or reckless disturbance of their nests is a criminal offence.