Sparrow (?) building a nest in my extractor fan

[Coopington]

Hello!

The extractor fan in my first-floor bathroom has stopped working. This is due to the external grill somehow coming loose and disappearing (we can't gain access to the side of the house as there's an electric gate that runs to other properties at the front of the house). My friend noticed a rustling sound when using the bathroom today and upon further examination I've discovered a load of twigs and whatnot poking out the hole. To try and see if there were eggs in there (it's an awkward viewing angle) I shone a torch at the hole - then a sparrow appeared, flapped about a bit and flew off. Did the same thing again a few seconds later.

I can't tell if eggs are in there - it must've only started building last night at the earliest - it's a xexexexe spot for a nest as it's a narrow gap that tends to act like a bit of a wind tunnel. Also, if it's planning on hatching babies in there will they be screeching all day and night? And have I potentially scared it off for life with the torch flashing?

If there are no eggs am I a bad person for wanting to get rid of the nest? I feel like I'm contemplating ousting a homeless person. A homeless person with wings, a beak and a tiny face, but still a homeless person.

[thebeard]

there won't be eggs yet, its a bit too early, but if it goes undisturbed, then there is a good chance that it will happily lay in there. it wouldn't have chosen it as a nest site if it wasn't suitable. as for wanting rid of it, i'm not really sure. there is legislation against the distubance/removal of nests but i'm not sure whether it applies, i'm sure someone here will know better

[Harold Smith]

Pardon my ignorance but what does 'xexexexe' mean? My immediate thought was it meant 'excellent' but from the context of your description it doesn't sound like that. Sparrows are opportunist nesters though generally they tend to nest together in groups/colonies. However it would not surprise me if a Starling or even a Robin was taking advantage of a suitable nesting site and the Sparrows were just having a quick look.

In the meantime may I suggest, instead of using your first floor bathroom, you use your other bathroom (I’m assuming from your description you have another bathroom) until you see what develops. Or can you use it without the fan? If so, any activity in the bathroom is unlikely to disturb whatever is trying to nest in your fan.

Harold

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Harold Smith

Pardon my ignorance but what does 'xexexexe' mean?

The poster tried to insert a word that the forum software disallows. The software substitutes the offending word with 'xexexexe'.

Jim

[k4t3]

Had the same problem a couple of years ago in my old flat, the disused extractor fan became home to a nest of blue tits...I was only aware of this when the chicks hatched and I couldn't figure out where the chirping noises were coming from....
Got a step out and peered into the back of the fan...lo and behold a nest with 3 chicks in it! I was delighted as this was not a good area for birds, being urban, little in the way of greenery and rather run down.
Apart from a bit of chirping- not intrusive...or I wasn't around at feeding time- there were no bad aspects to the situation for me.

[Coopington]

'xexexexe' was indeed an automated replacement for perhaps the mildest of rude words.

Thanks for the replies. Am happy to use the bathroom without the fan (it doesn't work anyway, hence the bird presumably having the time to build a real nest instead of being involved in some kind of small-scale Indiana Jones-style giant-fan-blade escape situation.)

If it does try and make baby while the sun shines and they do start making a noise, how long will they hang around for? I only ask because I've got a new housemate moving in at the end of the month and I'm not wanting their first impression of the place to be one of automated screeching dawn-chorus alarm clocks.