The Cornish Times received a letter from I Richard, Swansea, it said:

"A local South Wales farmer here was telling me that over all the many years his farm buildings have always had at least six House Martin bird nests. This year it’s only one. 

"He wonders, is it because of  Wind Turbines. I myself wonder what their migration route is. Is it via Spain which has lots of Wind Turbines? Their route from Africa to South Wales does not pass through the swathes of Welsh Wind Turbines in Central Wales with many, many more far bigger ones at 820 ft high proposed in Wales.  

"Our village also had a colony of Sand Martins here in the river bank at Pen Lannau Cwm Clydach - they tunnel in for nests - a local old farm nearby is called Hafod y Wennol (summer home of the swallows) as Martins look like Swallows. This colony is also no longer. I think the wind industry may donate money to RSPB, so RSPB will probably not object to any Wind Turbines to my limited knowledge. 

"Incidentally - as you know  the highest point in Cornwall is Bodmin Moor and its peak is officially called Brown Willy - it’s not far from Jamaica Inn. Cornwall is mostly English now – I was talking with a Cornish man recently - he said his home village is now  80% incomers English. He strongly considered himself Cornish – as a “bold Trelawny man!”. 

"Anyway, Brown Willy was originally a Cornish name - Bryn Y Wennol – the Hills of the Swallows! 

"As a family we had many holidays in Cornwall with the children – self catering – years ago – and as Welsh speakers we could understand the Cornish place names. Are there still Swallows flying over Bodmin Moor?"