Swallows nests - When can I take down and prevent in future?
Discussion
We have a swallows nest in the roof apex under the soffits on gable end of our house. Obviously they are lovely birds, but they are making an absolute mess. Made worse by the fact that our side door is directly under under the nest, so there area of path right outside the door that is is absolutely covered in s
t, which myself and my wife have been cleaning off with a hosepipe and brush weekly.
They built the nest last year, but didn't seem to be there that much and there was almost no mess, but this year it is awful.
I have no idea how we will get to the nest as we have quite high ceilings in our house and loft, so the peak of the gable is almost 9 metres off the ground, but thats a problem for another day.
The birds are still there for sure as we can see them all looking out of the nest, but when do they typically leave?
I would like to try to prevent them building again, but not sure how to do this without attaching anything unsightly under the soffits/eaves. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks
t, which myself and my wife have been cleaning off with a hosepipe and brush weekly.They built the nest last year, but didn't seem to be there that much and there was almost no mess, but this year it is awful.
I have no idea how we will get to the nest as we have quite high ceilings in our house and loft, so the peak of the gable is almost 9 metres off the ground, but thats a problem for another day.
The birds are still there for sure as we can see them all looking out of the nest, but when do they typically leave?
I would like to try to prevent them building again, but not sure how to do this without attaching anything unsightly under the soffits/eaves. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks
BoRED S2upid said:
Don’t they migrate for the winter? You don’t see them when the weather gets st (sensible) so that’s the time to remove.
How to stop them coming back next year? Some unsightly netting I’m afraid. Can’t see how else you could possibly do it.
This is the problem. Netting would look absolutely horrible, especially as we are an annoying middle-class family who are preoccupied with the upmarket appearance of our house (I'm taking the piss out of myself, but it is true to a large extent)t (sensible) so that’s the time to remove. How to stop them coming back next year? Some unsightly netting I’m afraid. Can’t see how else you could possibly do it.
My wife suggested netting and I said it would look worse than the nest and the mess from the nest.
I was just wondering if there was any sort of fairly discreet solution. I have seen really thin wires used to keep seagulls and pigeons away, but not sure if this would work for swallows. They would probably use it as some sort of frame to build their nest on!
Mont Blanc said:
We have a swallows nest in the roof apex under the soffits on gable end of our house. Obviously they are lovely birds, but they are making an absolute mess. Made worse by the fact that our side door is directly under under the nest, so there area of path right outside the door that is is absolutely covered in st, which myself and my wife have been cleaning off with a hosepipe and brush weekly.
We have this with a family of starlings who nest in our eaves, right above our front door. At risk of sounding all preachy, washing the path off is (IMO) a small price to pay for sharing my house with these creatures.t, which myself and my wife have been cleaning off with a hosepipe and brush weekly.Without wanting to sound like a bit of a prat, I'd really hope you could find a way to keep the swallows nest around as hirundines in the UK have had a pretty tough time the last few years already so if they were nesting successfully, the loss of yet another one would be a bit of a pity tbh.....
I appreciate what people are saying about keeping it, but the mess is horrific, and it has been going on for months.
It wouldn't matter if it was just a mess on a random piece of path, patio, or garden area. But it's the fact that they are directly over a door we use all the time to go into the garden or outbuildings, and our young kids are basically paddling through a huge patch of poo every time they go outside (or come back in). We've been shat on as well, which obviously isn't much fun.
They are lovely birds, and when my parents came round yesterday they even said "Oh just leave them where they are". I had another person tell me it was 'a privilege' to have Swallows nesting at your home. The mess doesn't feel like a privilege.
The daft thing is that they have numerous other roof apexes to use on the house which would be above nothing but grass, but it's not like I can move the nest. It already fell to pieces on them once this year and there were eggs everywhere, so they do appear brittle.
One other idea I had was to buy one of those artificial nests and attach it elsewhere on the house in the hope that they came to that one next time.
What I would never do is get rid of a live nest. I will be making sure they are long gone before I do anything, but I'm afraid they do have to go.
It wouldn't matter if it was just a mess on a random piece of path, patio, or garden area. But it's the fact that they are directly over a door we use all the time to go into the garden or outbuildings, and our young kids are basically paddling through a huge patch of poo every time they go outside (or come back in). We've been shat on as well, which obviously isn't much fun.
They are lovely birds, and when my parents came round yesterday they even said "Oh just leave them where they are". I had another person tell me it was 'a privilege' to have Swallows nesting at your home. The mess doesn't feel like a privilege.
The daft thing is that they have numerous other roof apexes to use on the house which would be above nothing but grass, but it's not like I can move the nest. It already fell to pieces on them once this year and there were eggs everywhere, so they do appear brittle.
One other idea I had was to buy one of those artificial nests and attach it elsewhere on the house in the hope that they came to that one next time.
What I would never do is get rid of a live nest. I will be making sure they are long gone before I do anything, but I'm afraid they do have to go.
https://community.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/f/wildlife-...
Encourage them to move elsewhere. Different side of the house?
Encourage them to move elsewhere. Different side of the house?
OP, just a simple Google search for "stopping birds nesting under eaves" throws up a few alternatives for clear plastic guards which can be fixed to the soffits:
https://www.stopbirdsnesting.net/soffit-neststop/
https://nestdivert.com/nestdivert-newshop/
Of course it would be nice if you also put up a couple of bird boxes in locations more convenient for you.
https://www.stopbirdsnesting.net/soffit-neststop/
https://nestdivert.com/nestdivert-newshop/
Of course it would be nice if you also put up a couple of bird boxes in locations more convenient for you.
Wonderful birds and so fascinating to watch.
Whilst I can understand why the OP is slightly miffed by the presence of these little birds I do think it is a privilege to have them nesting on our property. Here, they are nesting on the main house, cottage and all the outbuildings. There is a bit of mess but it's easily dealt with either by me, the cleaner or the gardener and takes but a few seconds.
I think we are most fortunate to be able to enjoy a little bit of nature.
Whilst I can understand why the OP is slightly miffed by the presence of these little birds I do think it is a privilege to have them nesting on our property. Here, they are nesting on the main house, cottage and all the outbuildings. There is a bit of mess but it's easily dealt with either by me, the cleaner or the gardener and takes but a few seconds.
I think we are most fortunate to be able to enjoy a little bit of nature.
Mr Pointy said:
OP, just a simple Google search for "stopping birds nesting under eaves" throws up a few alternatives for clear plastic guards which can be fixed to the soffits:
https://www.stopbirdsnesting.net/soffit-neststop/
https://nestdivert.com/nestdivert-newshop/
Of course it would be nice if you also put up a couple of bird boxes in locations more convenient for you.
This ^^. Combination of a soffit guard and putting up swallow boxes somewhere more convenient would be the best option. Ideal location would be something at a similar height and facing the same way as where the sun is during the day makes quite a differencehttps://www.stopbirdsnesting.net/soffit-neststop/
https://nestdivert.com/nestdivert-newshop/
Of course it would be nice if you also put up a couple of bird boxes in locations more convenient for you.
We have them at the stables and they’re awesome. They also poo on the horse quite a lot but he doesn’t seem to care - more focussed on the sparrows nicking his dinner probably
What we need is better border controls. All these African migrants coming over here and breeding- bringing their foreign cultures and defecating all over our neighbourhoods.
Our birds need some kind of Reform. I hear Clacton has a new "seagull of the people" who makes a lot of angry noise and sts on us all. He says we don't need left wings, only right and he's encouraging our indigenous British pigeons to protest. They don't like living in our gutters, they also want rooftop penthouses, but all the insect chasing jobs are taken by the harder working, more agile swallows. Instead our natives just sit at home getting fat on the handouts of grass seed that we put down, defecating all over our neighbourhoods, cooing all day and night about how hard their lives are- blaming all their misfortune on the migrants.
Our birds need some kind of Reform. I hear Clacton has a new "seagull of the people" who makes a lot of angry noise and s
ts on us all. He says we don't need left wings, only right and he's encouraging our indigenous British pigeons to protest. They don't like living in our gutters, they also want rooftop penthouses, but all the insect chasing jobs are taken by the harder working, more agile swallows. Instead our natives just sit at home getting fat on the handouts of grass seed that we put down, defecating all over our neighbourhoods, cooing all day and night about how hard their lives are- blaming all their misfortune on the migrants.GuigiaroBertone said:
What we need is better border controls. All these African migrants coming over here and breeding- bringing their foreign cultures and defecating all over our neighbourhoods.
Our birds need some kind of Reform. I hear Clacton has a new "seagull of the people" who makes a lot of angry noise and sts on us all. He says we don't need left wings, only right and he's encouraging our indigenous British pigeons to protest. They don't like living in our gutters, they also want rooftop penthouses, but all the insect chasing jobs are taken by the harder working, more agile swallows. Instead our natives just sit at home getting fat on the handouts of grass seed that we put down, defecating all over our neighbourhoods, cooing all day and night about how hard their lives are- blaming all their misfortune on the migrants.
Our birds need some kind of Reform. I hear Clacton has a new "seagull of the people" who makes a lot of angry noise and s
ts on us all. He says we don't need left wings, only right and he's encouraging our indigenous British pigeons to protest. They don't like living in our gutters, they also want rooftop penthouses, but all the insect chasing jobs are taken by the harder working, more agile swallows. Instead our natives just sit at home getting fat on the handouts of grass seed that we put down, defecating all over our neighbourhoods, cooing all day and night about how hard their lives are- blaming all their misfortune on the migrants.
We always used to have house martins returning to the house every year and nesting in a couple of places under the eaves. Yes, they created a mess and we’re a bit of a pain for the few months they were here, but it was nice to see them darting around after insects in the air on summer evenings. Then about 4 years ago they didn’t return and we haven’t seen any since which is a bit worrying and probably symptomatic of the decline in insects and bugs in recent years (anyone else notice that we don’t seem to be having to clear bugs of the car windscreen anymore like we had to do in summers past.)
Mont Blanc said:
I appreciate what people are saying about keeping it, but the mess is horrific, and it has been going on for months.
It wouldn't matter if it was just a mess on a random piece of path, patio, or garden area. But it's the fact that they are directly over a door we use all the time to go into the garden or outbuildings, and our young kids are basically paddling through a huge patch of poo every time they go outside (or come back in). We've been shat on as well, which obviously isn't much fun.
They are lovely birds, and when my parents came round yesterday they even said "Oh just leave them where they are". I had another person tell me it was 'a privilege' to have Swallows nesting at your home. The mess doesn't feel like a privilege.
The daft thing is that they have numerous other roof apexes to use on the house which would be above nothing but grass, but it's not like I can move the nest. It already fell to pieces on them once this year and there were eggs everywhere, so they do appear brittle.
One other idea I had was to buy one of those artificial nests and attach it elsewhere on the house in the hope that they came to that one next time.
What I would never do is get rid of a live nest. I will be making sure they are long gone before I do anything, but I'm afraid they do have to go.
Sir they are birds, not elephants! It wouldn't matter if it was just a mess on a random piece of path, patio, or garden area. But it's the fact that they are directly over a door we use all the time to go into the garden or outbuildings, and our young kids are basically paddling through a huge patch of poo every time they go outside (or come back in). We've been shat on as well, which obviously isn't much fun.
They are lovely birds, and when my parents came round yesterday they even said "Oh just leave them where they are". I had another person tell me it was 'a privilege' to have Swallows nesting at your home. The mess doesn't feel like a privilege.
The daft thing is that they have numerous other roof apexes to use on the house which would be above nothing but grass, but it's not like I can move the nest. It already fell to pieces on them once this year and there were eggs everywhere, so they do appear brittle.
One other idea I had was to buy one of those artificial nests and attach it elsewhere on the house in the hope that they came to that one next time.
What I would never do is get rid of a live nest. I will be making sure they are long gone before I do anything, but I'm afraid they do have to go.
Their habitats are in massive trouble, most birds are, so while I and a few others think you should leave them be in the future please do replace what you remove with some bird boxes and maybe a feeder or two. Feel like I am being some woke snowflake but this stuff is important!
geeks said:
Sir they are birds, not elephants!
Their habitats are in massive trouble, most birds are, so while I and a few others think you should leave them be in the future please do replace what you remove with some bird boxes and maybe a feeder or two. Feel like I am being some woke snowflake but this stuff is important!
How about the OP provides a nesting box a few feet to the side of the door? The birds get a home and the problem is moved.Their habitats are in massive trouble, most birds are, so while I and a few others think you should leave them be in the future please do replace what you remove with some bird boxes and maybe a feeder or two. Feel like I am being some woke snowflake but this stuff is important!
GuigiaroBertone said:
What we need is better border controls. All these African migrants coming over here and breeding- bringing their foreign cultures and defecating all over our neighbourhoods.
Our birds need some kind of Reform. I hear Clacton has a new "seagull of the people" who makes a lot of angry noise and sts on us all. He says we don't need left wings, only right and he's encouraging our indigenous British pigeons to protest. They don't like living in our gutters, they also want rooftop penthouses, but all the insect chasing jobs are taken by the harder working, more agile swallows. Instead our natives just sit at home getting fat on the handouts of grass seed that we put down, defecating all over our neighbourhoods, cooing all day and night about how hard their lives are- blaming all their misfortune on the migrants.
You can bet they're not paying taxes either.Our birds need some kind of Reform. I hear Clacton has a new "seagull of the people" who makes a lot of angry noise and s
ts on us all. He says we don't need left wings, only right and he's encouraging our indigenous British pigeons to protest. They don't like living in our gutters, they also want rooftop penthouses, but all the insect chasing jobs are taken by the harder working, more agile swallows. Instead our natives just sit at home getting fat on the handouts of grass seed that we put down, defecating all over our neighbourhoods, cooing all day and night about how hard their lives are- blaming all their misfortune on the migrants.
Slowboathome said:
You can bet they're not paying taxes either.
Plenty of our more vocal indigenous birds, e.g. pigeons don't contribute anything, yet they make a huge mess and cost the taxpayer a fortune in protecting our town centres from their wanton destruction and clearing up their st.We're also spending huge amounts on protecting our birds by building reserves and
Birds of a feather, flocking together seem to cause the most destruction and resentment. Maybe having a family of migratory birds on every street carefully integrated into society is the answer?
Where I live, I wake up in the mornings and hear Twittering from the extreme right and the left wings but I would argue that migratory birds are not the biggest threat or cost to society. The biggest threat is the people enabling the twittering- who direct tweets to gullible ears - feathering their own nests.
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff