Birds Nesting on Side of House

Knarr

I just discovered two birds nesting on the side of my house. I know the photos arent good but can anyone tell me what type of bird they are? They look black and white but are much smaller than a magpie and have a nice chirp. I have a feeder out my back but I have never seen them in the garden.

Also, the nest seems unusual. When I looked up first I thought it was a beehive. Anyone know what its made from and how its made? The nest is right up against the wall and seems extremely narrow. I dont see how chicks/eggs could be in it. It also looks like most of it has collapsed or something as there is stain marks where the nest looks like it once was.

To me it looks like a very bad location/nest. Didnt think birds made nests that cling on to flat walls lke that....:)

Mothman

These are House Martins.
They build the nest with mud. if they've been bad builders or haven't quite got the mud consistancy right then the nest may fall.
They only eat flying insects hence you'll not see them on the feeder and hence they travel south for our winter when insects are very scarce here.

The nest is not complete and there will be no eggs in it at moment. As you've pointed out there was a bigger nest, either this year or last year.

Its a great location because few predators can get at it!

Knarr

Mothman wrote: »

These are House Martins.
They build the nest with mud. if they've been bad builders or haven't quite got the mud consistancy right then the nest may fall.
They only eat flying insects hence you'll not see them on the feeder and hence they travel south for our winter when insects are very scarce here.

The nest is not complete and there will be no eggs in it at moment. As you've pointed out there was a bigger nest, either this year or last year.

Its a great location because few predators can get at it!

So what are you saying, are they in the process of building it or has it collapsed on them and thats what theyr left with? And when are they due to have chicks is it later in the year (when the nest is built)?

Mothman

Yes the previous nest may well have fallen or the stains are from the previous years nest which has fallen. They will rebuild.
They will probably have 2 broods (ie they will raise 2 lots of chicks).

Knarr

Mothman wrote: »

Yes the previous nest may well have fallen or the stains are from the previous years nest which has fallen. They will rebuild.
They will probably have 2 broods (ie they will raise 2 lots of chicks).

Cheers thanks for the info.

Sundew

How cool to have house martins nesting on the side of your house

Knarr

Sundew wrote: »

How cool to have house martins nesting on the side of your house

On a day like this, not very

Just reading it there on wiki. Its amazing that they travel half way across the world and still remember their little nesting spot on the side of my house. What a privilege

Knarr

Is there any way i can accommodate them better, like leave a tray of muck/soil near where there nest is for building? Or a jar of water etc.

Sundew

Knarr wrote: »

On a day like this, not very

Just reading it there on wiki. Its amazing that they travel half way across the world and still remember their little nesting spot on the side of my house. What a privilege

Very much so!

I was on holiday last year in Greece and stopped off for a bite to eat at a lovely rural taverna. We chose our seat and the owner came over and kindly asked if we wouldn't mind moving to another seat. he pointed upwards and there was about 4/5 nests and young chicks excitedly peeping over at all us folks eating our Greek salads. Think they were swallows but they could have been house martins. Must pull out the photos to check

Knarr

Sundew wrote: »

Very much so!

I was on holiday last year in Greece and stopped off for a bite to eat at a lovely rural taverna. We chose our seat and the owner came over and kindly asked if we wouldn't mind moving to another seat. he pointed upwards and there was about 4/5 nests and young chicks excitedly peeping over at all us folks eating our Greek salads. Think they were swallows but they could have been house martins. Must pull out the photos to check

Ha ha, once they stick to insects and dont swoop down for a bit of lettuce ye'd be grand. Post the pics up if you can.

Ill take some more of the nest as they build it and post them up here.

tyler71

Usually the nests get re-used from year to year until they fall off like your one did. I wonder though if there might be eggs in it, unlikely though it seems, we had a similar situation last year with the remnant of a nest being re-occupied the next year and the female didn't move from the little stub of remaining nest (from what we could see) for a few days while the male built the new nest up around her. Cue many jibes between myself and the OH about the comments the female would be making to the male while watching him build their house....

Feargal as Luimneach

Knarr wrote: »

On a day like this, not very

Just reading it there on wiki. Its amazing that they travel half way across the world and still remember their little nesting spot on the side of my house. What a privilege

You're lucky, I put up a house martin nest box march 2009, but got no tenants:mad:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

You're lucky, I put up a house martin nest box march 2009, but got no tenants:mad:

I've often found that if an area is suited to a particular bird then it will usually nest of it's own accord. If the area is not suitable no amount of nest boxes or encouragement will get them to nest. Frequently I see gardens where Blue Tit boxes lie unused year after year but there are several Blue Tit nest elsewhere in the mature gardens.
Are there House Martins in the immediate vacinity? If there are study what aspect of the building they are using and try to mirror that on yor own house. Is there anything about your house to discourage them from using the nest box where you have it at present?

Feargal as Luimneach

Lexie Witty Stomach wrote: »

I've often found that if an area is suited to a particular bird then it will usually nest of it's own accord. If the area is not suitable no amount of nest boxes or encouragement will get them to nest. Frequently I see gardens where Blue Tit boxes lie unused year after year but there are several Blue Tit nest elsewhere in the mature gardens.
Are there House Martins in the immediate vacinity? If there are study what aspect of the building they are using and try to mirror that on yor own house. Is there anything about your house to discourage them from using the nest box where you have it at present?

House a bungalow so lacking in height which isn't good. Put on north side of house out of direct sun. Made a shelf 1mX0.5m which box is attached. Box is 4M off ground.
Not many House Martins about though. You can bring a horse to water but you can't make him drink....

Knarr

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

House a bungalow so lacking in height which isn't good. Put on north side of house out of direct sun. Made a shelf 1mX0.5m which box is attached. Box is 4M off ground.
Not many House Martins about though. You can bring a horse to water but you can't make him drink....

Here's a map of 'house martin abundance'...



Some more details here...

http://www.bto.org/migwatch/text/species/houma.htm

mossie

I remember in the mid 90's, I think it was 1995 we had loads of Housemartins around here. I think they outnumbered the swallows that year. However we have had none in the 15 years since. Is it unusual for that to happen?

I remember it was a scorching summer and my neighbour said the "white swallows" always brought good weather when they had come in the past.