Ouseburn Sand Martin Exhibition

Discover the ecology, migration and family lives of Ouseburn’s charming summer residents

This free exhibition is a great opportunity to pop in and find out all about these intriguing little birds which spend their summers with us in Ouseburn.

The first reference to Sand Martins in Ouseburn was in 1952, when it was a very different place! In 2023, Wild Ouseburn recorded the first known nesting attempt of Sand Martins for many years, in the sandstone wall beneath The Free Trade Inn. Following community surveys in 2024 and a crowdfunder, Newcastle’s very first artificial Sand Martin bank was installed at the mouth of Ouseburn this March.

We think these migratory marvels deserve a week all about them, so come along to the BottleWorks to find out about the ecology, fascinating nesting behaviours, mindblowing migration, and other intriguing insights into the Sand Martin.

This free exhibition is open 10am to 5pm daily between Thursday 12th to Monday 16th June 2025. No need to book, just pop by!

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