We have had this problem of falling nests. I realised the biggest problem was the slippery nature of exterior paint even on pebble-dash (might be ok on a very rough pebble-dash). Last year they succeeded for the first time after the next collapsed twice although the weather was so bad when they fledged that i know at least one of them died after fledging. It was very late when they fledged last year (15th September!!) and by that time strong winds are common on Mull.
I try to help them by roughing up with mortar the place they start to build. Although originally i was worried about the mortar burning their legs, the risk seemed worth it. Then when the nest collapsed a second time in a wind i decided to reinforce the outside of the nest with mortar. The risk of strong winds from such late breeding increases with the season.
The mortar was mixed with a lot of mud.
This year 3 pairs came back. I roughed up the wall where they started to build the 2 new nests but still one nest collapsed or was predated. The second new nest was predated by House Sparrows which evicted the chicks which were a few days old.
After the first nest collapsed this year i decided to reinforce the nest with wire mesh but once i saw the second nest was predated by Sparrows i immediately took it down because it would give sparrows an easier access to an otherwise quite difficult to approach nest (under a sliding door cover).
The third nest (same as last years) under the sliding door succeeded in fledging at least 1 chick.
It is tough for House Martins. I don't know why they are not in rapid decline.
In the spring it looked like we would see 15+ House Martins buzzing around the farm in the summer but as far as i could see only one fledged. The good news is that it survived.
You can read about it on my blog
Treshnish Nature Log
There are a couple of photos on the right column of the main page
The June page for this year has many photos of the nest building
and the story of their progress continues on the July page.
Last year the story runs from the pages June to September with most photos in September (1 in July and 2 in June).
Incidentally last year the top of the nest was taken away by the birds a few days before they fledged (almost right down to my reinforced mortar). This year the nest was intact when it/they fledged. I wonder if the nest top is broken away when there are more chicks.
They have never showed any interest in the 2 artificial nests more that just a quick look.
Re: Housemartins nest fallen from house 
Hmm...........4 little kids and some on school holidays.. but we had no option so we're doing it and it's been lovely. If we go on a trip we take the box, mealworms, water and tweezer combo with us.
Linear Mode
