Any bird experts on here?

[williamjblazkowicz]

We have a swallows nest under the eaves of our house. It has been there for two of three years and, bird poo aside, doesn't bother us too much as we like birds. Yesterday evening, I noticed a small, dead baby bird on the window ledge that's underneath the nest. However, today I've found three more, all on different places on the ground below the nest.

I guess some young ones try to fly and it's too early for them but these seem tiny to me (only 6-7 cm in length) and for there to be so many all on the ground is a bit puzzling. Anyone got any ideas? No dramatic weather changes (perhaps a bit warmer than usual lately) and I can't think of anything else that would have caused this. I saw a couple of adult swallows in and out of the nest today as well so the nest isn't abandoned as far as I can tell.

[Colburn_Claret]

Odd
Only a guess but if there are adults flying in and out, possibly they are stealing the nest from another pair, maybe they chucked them out. Birds can be ruthless.

[clansman]

Colborns right. Sometimes swallows will eject another pairs eggs or babies if they want the nest

[williamjblazkowicz]

Odd
Only a guess but if there are adults flying in and out, possibly they are stealing the nest from another pair, maybe they chucked them out. Birds can be ruthless.

Ah, what a shame that is. Poor little things (and feel sorry for the parents too!). You're quite right, that is ruthless. Thanks for the reply.

[williamjblazkowicz]

Colborns right. Sometimes swallows will eject another pairs eggs or babies if they want the nest

Yeah, I had a little look online and have seen it suggested elsewhere as well. What a shame that is.

[Tribesmen]

Flying Rats is what i call then , i go to war with them every year as they try to nest in 4 parts of my house .
So far Mr Powerwasher has won the battle .
Just waiting for it all to start again this year , gerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Buxtonclaret]

Its sad. I've actually seen it happen.
Swallows are amazing little beasts though - along with a good few others - that make that long migration every year.

[clansman]

Tribesman
They fly 3000 miles just to nest in your house. Amazing creatures and badly hit this year by bad weather over North Africa as they migrated. As a Celt you should be in tune with nature!!!

[jackmiggins]

Are you sure they’re not House Martins?

[Colburn_Claret]

Are you sure they’re not House Martins?

They live in the Beautiful South....

[Bfc]

To reduce bird droppings from nests under the eaves, drill 2 or 3 holes in the bottom of a margarine size tub. Assuming you can get a ladder and are ok with heights, drill a hole in the brick joint put in a screw plug, a foot below the nest then screw/washer the box into it. That will stop most of their droppings and save you getting in trouble for an offence of disturbing/destroying nesting birds.

[williamjblazkowicz]

Its sad. I've actually seen it happen.
Swallows are amazing little beasts though - along with a good few others - that make that long migration every year.

Yes, and they're quite fun to watch flitting about in the evenings. Having said that, we're not keen on having more nests. One is enough for us for now!

[bobinho]

Bird experts?

If I live to be a thousand years old, I’ll never understand birds….

[williamjblazkowicz]

Are you sure they’re not House Martins?

I'm fairly sure they're swallows but admit you've made me have a look at comparison photos of the two types now!

[williamjblazkowicz]

To reduce bird droppings from nests under the eaves, drill 2 or 3 holes in the bottom of a margarine size tub. Assuming you can get a ladder and are ok with heights, drill a hole in the brick joint put in a screw plug, a foot below the nest then screw/washer the box into it. That will stop most of their droppings and save you getting in trouble for an offence of disturbing/destroying nesting birds.

Yes, have heard about that method. Unfortunately, the height of the house (three floors) rules that out. My ladder is nowhere near tall enough for the job and it wouldn't be safe. I could try doing that from the window underneath the nest but again, would be somewhat awkward!

[Joe14]

How times change...... this thread 20 year ago would have had a few alternative answers

[Bfc]

I should've added in my post that it should be a 2 kilo size tub, for catching droppings.

[Tribesmen]

Tribesman
They fly 3000 miles just to nest in your house. Amazing creatures and badly hit this year by bad weather over North Africa as they migrated. As a Celt you should be in tune with nature!!!

I would be happy if they just went another 5kms and nested somewhere else .

They are not going to win in my gaff baby

[Billy Balfour]

Flying Rats is what i call then , i go to war with them every year as they try to nest in 4 parts of my house .
So far Mr Powerwasher has won the battle .
Just waiting for it all to start again this year , gerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

You sound like a pig-ignorant chav.

[Bosscat]

You sound like a pig-ignorant chav.

He sounds more like someone on a DA style wind-up and you just bit

[Billy Balfour]

He sounds more like someone on a DA style wind-up and you just bit

I stand by what said. If he does illegally destroy nesting bird sites, then he's a scumbag. If he uses animal cruelty simply to wind people up, then that too makes him a scumbag. Glad you find it funny, though.

[Steve1956]

Just as the sun goes down here the swallows put on quite a show,flying at speed past our living room window,presumably catching flies I would think...beautiful graceful bird and its always a joy to see the first one as it denotes summer is around the corner,think the OP has mistaken swallows for HouseMartins, swallows nest in old buildings not under the eaves.

[williamjblazkowicz]

Just as the sun goes down here the swallows put on quite a show,flying at speed past our living room window,presumably catching flies I would think...beautiful graceful bird and its always a joy to see the first one as it denotes summer is around the corner,think the OP has mistaken swallows for HouseMartins, swallows nest in old buildings not under the eaves.

I think you're right. Having looked at comparison photos, I can see that swallows have a red forehead and throat which these birds I'm seeing don't have. They certainly look like house martins (blue-black and some white).

[Buxtonclaret]

Just as the sun goes down here the swallows put on quite a show,flying at speed past our living room window,presumably catching flies I would think...beautiful graceful bird and its always a joy to see the first one as it denotes summer is around the corner,think the OP has mistaken swallows for HouseMartins, swallows nest in old buildings not under the eaves.

They do nest under eaves too, Steve.

[Steve1956]

I think you're right. Having looked at comparison photos, I can see that swallows have a red forehead and throat which these birds I'm seeing don't have. They certainly look like house martins (blue-black and some white).

Is the nest totally enclosed with a small hole to fly in that's an Housemartins nest a Swallows is open

[Steve1956]

They do nest under eaves too, Steve.

Sorry Buxton

[Steve1956]

Swallows & Housemartins are lovely birds but nothing beats a Swift.

[dougcollins]

Are you sure they’re not House Martins?

It's fair to say House Martins nest under eaves, overhangs etc, but a swallow's nest is rarely visible from outside the building.

[Buxtonclaret]

Swallows & Housemartins are lovely birds but nothing beats a Swift.

Much different looking in their flight, arent they.

[Bosscat]

Swallows & Housemartins are lovely birds but nothing beats a Swift.

Thats because they are Swift

[Steve1956]

Thats because they are Swift

I havnt done this for quite a while


















Knob!

[Bosscat]

It's fair to say House martins nest under eaves, overhangs etc, but a swallow's nest is rarely visible from outside the building.

When I was a kid back in the 60's my dad cut a hole in the barn door to allow access for the Swallows. Because he had put a new door on over the winter ... Mum was wondering why they had all congregated on the washing line looking confused ... within an hour of cutting the corner off the door they were flying in and out nesting again.

[williamjblazkowicz]

Is the nest totally enclosed with a small hole to fly in that's an Housemartins nest a Swallows is open

Good question! Just a small hole near the top so yes, that sounds like a house martin's nest!

[williamjblazkowicz]

When I was a kid back in the 60's my dad cut a hole in the barn door to allow access for the Swallows. Because he had put a new door on over the winter ... Mum was wondering why they had all congregated on the washing line looking confused ... within an hour of cutting the corner off the door they were flying in and out nesting again.

Funny that! Yes, I read they come back to nest in the same place each year. Quite interesting creatures. Well, the little ones I found have all been laid to rest. Said a few words for them.

[dsr]

Over 5 million little birds will have died today. Few of them will have had a funeral.

[Rileybobs]

Over 5 million little birds will have died today. Few of them will have had a funeral.

[Goobs]

Ah not the subject I expected from the title. I thought this may be a question about females.

I know absolutely nothing about the winged type but knowþ even less about the human kind.

[Tribesmen]

I stand by what said. If he does illegally destroy nesting bird sites, then he's a scumbag. If he uses animal cruelty simply to wind people up, then that too makes him a scumbag. Glad you find it funny, though.

Never been called a Chav before , hey new to me .

Protected are they , hummm maybe in your country but i live in rural Ireland and we find them to be a pest . So myself i don't let them nest as soon as i see the mud dots on the eves they are blasted away every day for between 3 to 6 weeks and they move on .

Hey if you are upset about fox hunting don't come to rural Ireland also .

[Billy Balfour]

Hey if you are upset about fox hunting don't come to rural Ireland also .

I don't understand what fox hunting has to do with this, unless you are trying to paint me as being precious because I had a go at you for destroying the nesting sites of birds that are Red Listed. I live in a rural part of Lancashire and come from a farming background, so you can shove your presumptuousness where the sun don't shine.

BTW: The farmers and homeowners round here try to encourage swallows, house martins etc. I certainly wouldn't expect to see one of them bragging on a local forum about wrecking their nests. Mind you though, I don't think I know anyone that sad and pathetic.

[clansman]

Tribesman
They are protected in Ireland just as in UK!
They are in decline and need help not blasting away. Most people would be chuffed to have house martins nesting on their house.
Give em a chance!

[dandeclaret]

Relevant reading..... https://birdwatchireland.ie/irish-birds ... er-before/

For such a beautiful country, the disregard for so much wildlife here is despairing. Dogs off leashes running wild through ground nesting colonies, trimming of hedges in nesting season (which is illegal, but that law is never enforced), pair trawler fishing clearing out the sprats, breaking the whole wildlife pyramid, deforestation of mixed woodlands, to be replaced by pine and so on, and so on.

I don't mind the Irish Government, certainly not compared to what I'd have if I moved back home, but on environmental issues, they are weak, and shoe a complete disregard for it.

[Bosscat]

I don't understand what fox hunting has to do with this, unless you are trying to paint me as being precious because I had a go at you for destroying the nesting sites of birds that are Red Listed. I live in a rural part of Lancashire and come from a farming background, so you can shove your presumptuousness where the sun don't shine.

BTW: The farmers and homeowners round here try to encourage swallows, house martins etc. I certainly wouldn't expect to see one of them bragging on a local forum about wrecking their nests. Mind you though, I don't think I know anyone that sad and pathetic.

I stand by what said. If he does illegally destroy nesting bird sites, then he's a scumbag. If he uses animal cruelty simply to wind people up, then that too makes him a scumbag. Glad you find it funny, though.

Apologies for my post above BF I genuinely thought it was a wind up post by Tribesman ala DA

Anyone who knows me and my love of wildlife and how we encourage them in our garden ...

[Billy Balfour]

Apologies for my post above BF I genuinely thought it was a wind up post by Tribesman ala DA

Anyone who knows me and my love of wildlife and how we encourage them in our garden ...

No problem, Boss.

[Tribesmen]

Look bottom line is i don't want Swallows nesting on my house , very simple and whatever want to say about will not change that .

[Tricky Trevor]

We have housemartins but they don’t bother me. I put some old carpet beneath the nest, both gables, and powerwash it off when they are done. Sh1tting on the car is a bugger though.
A visitor told me to hang 2 or 3 old cds, or blanks, at the top of the eaves and they wouldn't nest. Advice I didn’t follow.

[SouthLondonexile]

Nature can be very unforgiving.
At least the parents will have had no problems with the Border Force after their 3,000 mile flight.