Housemartins nest fallen from house

[franco50]

Originally Posted by Blackdogjnr

If I found something like that, I'd just keep my cats indoors for a day, just to be safe.

I do hope they're okay

I know what you mean - unfortunately I'm back at work today and there is nobody else at home. I don't have such a thing as a litter tray and the cats are used to going outside so it's not that practical I'm afraid. Also there are other cats in the area which could easily get to the birds as well.

[vole-woman]

Fingers crossed for the little chaps. I wonder how common this is, the nest coming away?

[anita]

Have had the same here, the nest was fine at the weekend but have noticed today that it's gone, hadn't thought about the wind taking it, but it has been very windy last few days (trees laying flat!). Hopefully birds ok but not seen them so don't know.
Hope yours are ok still.

[demicav]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Fingers crossed for the little chaps. I wonder how common this is, the nest coming away?

I wondered this myself. I've known youngsters to fall from the nest but not the nest to completely come down. Still it has been awful weather. I do hope they make it.

[franco50]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Fingers crossed for the little chaps. I wonder how common this is, the nest coming away?

Unfortunately it is very common on my house I'm afraid. It is a bungalow and is just over 6 years old and pretty much from the fisrt summer I have had the housemartins build nests right up at the peak of the eaves, most years at both gable ends of the house. On a number of previous occasions I have come across fallen nests, sometimes early in the season where I have found broken eggs or, worse, very young dead chicks on the ground. On other occasions the nest falls after the birds have departed late summer. This year is the first time I have encountered fledglings after a nest fall. There is still a nest intact at the other end of the house although I havn't seen much activity around it. All the roofline woodwork on my house is painted gloss white and I sometimes wonder if it is simply a case of the nest not adhering to the wood as much as it should, although the actual wall itself is roughcast (rendered) which I'd have thought would provide the nest with something to grip so it is a bit of a mystery how they keep falling.

[vole-woman]

Might it be worth putting up an artificial one? They'd be more secure.

[franco50]

Originally Posted by vole-woman

Might it be worth putting up an artificial one? They'd be more secure.

Yes possibly, if I was any good at going up ladders! Any more than 6 rungs up a ladder and I get nose bleeds!

[franco50]

Just in case anyone is interested, I couldn't see the young housemartin in the bushes when I got home from work last night but spotted it later up on the roof of the house and the adults were swooping down now and again feeding it. At least I am assuming it is the same one! If it could get up there then presumably it is becoming better at flying so I'm not so worried about it now. I still don't know what happened to the other chick I found on Wednesday though as I have never seen it again.

[mystic meg]

Housemartin nests collapsing is a annual occurance. Because we have such erratic weather conditions at times it always seems to happen after a dry spell then followed by wet weather, the youngsters, if they survive the impact will try and scarper for cover so if it does happen it is well worth searching flower borders for upto 4 young.

Most wildlife hospitals will take the nestlings, if the birds are near fledging and you are blessed with blue peter skills you could try and knock something up and place it as near the old nest site as possible, it has worked although it does take the parents a while to get used to it. Its amazing what you can do with a flower pot

We have taken in housmartins from 9 collapsed nests

[franco50]

Last time I saw the single youngster was Friday evening - it was on my roof again and being fed by parents. Havn't seen it since so I'm assuming it is now able to fly. The other survivor, although I havn't seen it personally, may well have found another safe spot somewhere.