birds nests inside soffits
 

Following advice from this thread...
http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...2ef95c259bfdea
....I put some extra vents from soffit level straight into the loft
space.

While cutting into the soffits, I've found birds nests! It seems the
cheeky beggars have popped under the bottom tiles, pecked the felt
away, and made a nice home for themselves on top of the inside of the
soffits.

I've stood outside the house and watched - and they're still at it!

I've found three separate nests, but there may be more - the one I
found when cutting into the soffit wasn't visible from inside the
loft.

Should I be worried? It's not that easy (as DIY) to do anything about
it. The soffits are over 1m lower than the level of the loft "floor",
so difficult/impossible to reach from inside. It's also impossible to
reach the felt to fix it.

Any ideas? Professional help? Ignore it? Hook them out?

The bird have not been _into_ the loft itself, and don't be able to
get once I put the insulation on the rafters.

Cheers,
David.

P.S. I though about pushing some chipboard down the line of the roof
from inside the loft to block the holes in the felts - but because the
joists and rafters meet at that point of the loft, the chipboard would
have to be "one joist width" narrower than the gap between the rafters
to get it past - so when it was pushed all the way down it would leave
enough space at the side for the birds to get back in.

birds nests inside soffits
 

In article ,
David Robinson writes:
Following advice from this thread...
http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...2ef95c259bfdea
...I put some extra vents from soffit level straight into the loft
space.

While cutting into the soffits, I've found birds nests! It seems the
cheeky beggars have popped under the bottom tiles, pecked the felt
away, and made a nice home for themselves on top of the inside of the
soffits.

I've stood outside the house and watched - and they're still at it!

I've found three separate nests, but there may be more - the one I
found when cutting into the soffit wasn't visible from inside the
loft.

Should I be worried? It's not that easy (as DIY) to do anything about
it. The soffits are over 1m lower than the level of the loft "floor",
so difficult/impossible to reach from inside. It's also impossible to
reach the felt to fix it.

Any ideas? Professional help? Ignore it? Hook them out?

The bird have not been _into_ the loft itself, and don't be able to
get once I put the insulation on the rafters.

Given they had not been causing any problems, and your roof
construction is such that they're spaced well away from the
body of the house, I would ignore them.

Note that if you do decide to remove them, I think you can
only do it at certain times of year outside of the breeding
season (which would be now).

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

birds nests inside soffits
 

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

outside of the breeding
season (which would be now).

Debatable ;-)

AJH

birds nests inside soffits
 

On Feb 6, 8:49*am, David Robinson
wrote:
Following advice from this thread...http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...ad/262ef95c259...
...I put some extra vents from soffit level straight into the loft
space.

While cutting into the soffits, I've found birds nests! It seems the
cheeky beggars have popped under the bottom tiles, pecked the felt
away, and made a nice home for themselves on top of the inside of the
soffits.

I've stood outside the house and watched - and they're still at it!

I've found three separate nests, but there may be more - the one I
found when cutting into the soffit wasn't visible from inside the
loft.

Should I be worried? It's not that easy (as DIY) to do anything about
it. The soffits are over 1m lower than the level of the loft "floor",
so difficult/impossible to reach from inside. It's also impossible to
reach the felt to fix it.

Any ideas? Professional help? Ignore it? Hook them out?

The bird have not been _into_ the loft itself, and don't be able to
get once I put the insulation on the rafters.

Cheers,
David.

P.S. I though about pushing some chipboard down the line of the roof
from inside the loft to block the holes in the felts - but because the
joists and rafters meet at that point of the loft, the chipboard would
have to be "one joist width" narrower than the gap between the rafters
to get it past - so when it was pushed all the way down it would leave
enough space at the side for the birds to get back in.

It's normal practice to drill holes in the soffits and install meshed
vents you can buy to keep out birds etc
http://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/b...fit-vents.html

birds nests inside soffits
 

On Feb 6, 8:49*am, David Robinson
wrote:
Following advice from this thread...http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...ad/262ef95c259...
...I put some extra vents from soffit level straight into the loft
space.

While cutting into the soffits, I've found birds nests! It seems the
cheeky beggars have popped under the bottom tiles, pecked the felt
away, and made a nice home for themselves on top of the inside of the
soffits.

I've stood outside the house and watched - and they're still at it!

I've found three separate nests, but there may be more - the one I
found when cutting into the soffit wasn't visible from inside the
loft.

Should I be worried? It's not that easy (as DIY) to do anything about
it. The soffits are over 1m lower than the level of the loft "floor",
so difficult/impossible to reach from inside. It's also impossible to
reach the felt to fix it.

Any ideas? Professional help? Ignore it? Hook them out?

The bird have not been _into_ the loft itself, and don't be able to
get once I put the insulation on the rafters.

Cheers,
David.

P.S. I though about pushing some chipboard down the line of the roof
from inside the loft to block the holes in the felts - but because the
joists and rafters meet at that point of the loft, the chipboard would
have to be "one joist width" narrower than the gap between the rafters
to get it past - so when it was pushed all the way down it would leave
enough space at the side for the birds to get back in.

They cause a few problems, like carrying loads of nesting materials
such as straw, and paper, which could also contain insect eggs such as
woodworm, and mealy worm. If the soft is of timber construction there
could be a fire risk if paint is being burnt off with a blow touch. It
takes only a bit of straw to catch alight and with in seconds the
whole lot is alight due to the draft under the felt.

You don’t say which type of roof tile is on the roof. If its a
concrete profile type there are special eve comb fillers which are
fixed to the top of the fascia board and also over fascia felt
supports. Theses eliminate the felt from sagging behind the fascia
board and the comb filler stops the birds from entering the sofit. All
you do is push the second row of tiles up to access the nails on the
bottom row. Take off the bottom row of tiles, cut back the bottom 6”
or 150mm of felt, put the felt support under the felt and pin it to
the rafter.
Then put the comb filler strip on top of the felt support, with the
lip on the inside and fix with a non corrosive nail through the pre
made holes, into the fascia top edge. Relay the tiles making sure that
the comb points out wards. Then pull down the second row.

birds nests inside soffits
 

Andrew Gabriel wrote:

Note that if you do decide to remove them, I think you can
only do it at certain times of year outside of the breeding
season (which would be now).

Are you saying that now is one of the certain times of year you
can do it, or are you saying that the breeding season is now?

birds nests inside soffits
 

In message , andrew
writes
Andrew Gabriel wrote:

outside of the breeding
season (which would be now).

Debatable ;-)

We are allowed to trim hedges up until Feb. 15th.

regards

--
Tim Lamb

birds nests inside soffits
 

Tim Lamb wrote:


We are allowed to trim hedges up until Feb. 15th.

Yes and most ecological requirements on felling sites allow felling till
March 15 and then again from August. Generally they don't stop extraction
and other activities which are actually more damaging to nesting birds (
not many threatened species nest in tress as opposed to using holes,
undergrowth, brash, scrapes etc.

I have even been on a heathland SSSI mulching in August, sanctioned by
Natural England, and seen nightjar on the ground. These machines do serious
damage.

The thing about the 81 act and it's reinforcement Crow 2000 is that it
protects any nesting bird from disturbance. Pigeons breed year round and
blackbirds often have young in February.

AJH

birds nests inside soffits
 

On 06/02/2011 10:52, Kipper at sea wrote:

They cause a few problems, like carrying loads of nesting materials
such as straw, and paper, which could also contain insect eggs such as
woodworm, and mealy worm.

/snip

The way to prevent woodworm in your loft is to keep the wood too dry for
them, not to keep the B***ers out.

Pigeons, BTW, and a couple of other species are fair game under the
general licence provisions of the wildlife acts.

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Ima...tcm6-24149.pdf
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Ima...tcm6-24150.pdf

Andy

birds nests inside soffits
 

Thanks everyone.

On Feb 6, 9:48*am, (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:

Note that if you do decide to remove them, I think you can
only do it at certain times of year outside of the breeding
season (which would be now).

I couldn't reach all of them, but removed the ones I could. I tried to
push one of the "out of reach" ones along with a broom handle, but
without much luck.

That one had some "fresh" grass on top - when the bird (blue tit I
think) returned, it flew right up into the loft (for the first time
AFAICT) presumably looking for the nest.

Then it flew down out of the loft hatch and into the bedroom. It then
tried to fly through a closed window. I was drilling with ear defender
on, but when I stopped for lunch I heard flap flap bang flap flap bang
and wondered what on earth was happening. Of course I let the poor
thing out, but it had to be guided to the open window - it preferred
to take its chances with the far larger area of unopenable window.

Interesting thought patten these birds "I couldn't get through this
gap last time, and it hurt, so next time I need to fly at it even
harder and faster to make sure I get through. Bang. Ow! OK, so I
couldn't get through this gap last time, and it hurt, so..."

Once the new insulation is in place, they won't be able to get into
the loft, and I think that'll do for now. Neighbours have them in
their soffits apparently, and their roof hasn't fallen down (yet).

Cheers,
David.

birds nests inside soffits
 

On Feb 6, 10:52*am, Kipper at sea wrote:

They cause a few problems, like carrying loads of nesting materials
such as straw, and paper, which could also contain insect eggs such as
woodworm, and mealy worm. If the soft is of timber construction there
could be a fire risk if paint is being burnt off with a blow touch. It
takes only a bit of straw to catch alight and with in seconds the
whole lot is alight due to the draft under the felt.

Thank you - that's a valuable piece of advice.

You don’t say which type of roof tile is on the roof. If its a
concrete profile type there are special eve comb fillers which are
fixed to the top of the fascia board and also over fascia felt
supports. Theses eliminate the felt from sagging behind the fascia
board and the comb filler stops the birds from entering the sofit. All
you do is push the second row of tiles up to access the nails on the
bottom row. Take off the bottom row of tiles, cut back the bottom 6”
or 150mm of felt, put the felt support under the felt and pin it to
the rafter.
Then put the comb filler strip on top of the felt support, with the
lip on the inside and fix with a non corrosive nail through the pre
made holes, into the fascia top edge. Relay the tiles making sure that
the comb points out wards. Then pull down the second row.

Yes, neighbour (roofer) suggested this possibility (though your
instructions make it sound DIY-able - but I'm not DIY-ing at such
heights!), but he hadn't bothered himself.

Cheers,
David.

birds nests inside soffits
 

On Feb 6, 9:23*pm, Andy Champ wrote:
On 06/02/2011 10:52, Kipper at sea wrote:



They cause a few problems, like carrying loads of nesting materials
such as straw, and paper, which could also contain insect eggs such as
woodworm, and mealy worm.

/snip

The way to prevent woodworm in your loft is to keep the wood too dry for
them, not to keep the B***ers out.

Do you think it's worth treating the roof timbers before putting the
celotex up? Too late for the joists (I've boarded), but the rafters
are all accessible.

Cheers,
David.

birds nests inside soffits
 

In message
,
David Robinson writes
On Feb 6, 9:23*pm, Andy Champ wrote:
On 06/02/2011 10:52, Kipper at sea wrote:



They cause a few problems, like carrying loads of nesting materials
such as straw, and paper, which could also contain insect eggs such as
woodworm, and mealy worm.

/snip

The way to prevent woodworm in your loft is to keep the wood too dry for
them, not to keep the B***ers out.

Do you think it's worth treating the roof timbers before putting the
celotex up? Too late for the joists (I've boarded), but the rafters
are all accessible.

There are some offers on Cuprinol 5 star and Wykamol as present.
Stockists might be clearing stock in advance of a ban on volatiles.

Not the easiest stuff to apply to rafters, though.

regards

--
Tim Lamb