I have a wooden holiday home. The cladding is made of overlapping vertical
planks in two layers giving a castellated surface, and this is stained
'Oregon Pine'.

Unfortunately, a pair of swallows have built their nest high up under the
overhanging roof. Their droppings land just outside the door - just where
we wish to step. So when their chicks have flown, I want to remove the nest
and try to deter them from returning. I have no wish to harm them. I want
to ask what I can do to stop them this and every year.

One thought I have is if it might be possible to put some surface finish
which their mud and spit won't stick to. The problem is - what can be used
without being unsightly. May I ask for suggestions for this and maybe any
other solutions?

--
Marcus Foreman

In uk.d-i-y, Marcus Foreman wrote:
I have a wooden holiday home. The cladding is made of overlapping vertical
planks in two layers giving a castellated surface, and this is stained
'Oregon Pine'.

Unfortunately, a pair of swallows have built their nest high up under the
overhanging roof. Their droppings land just outside the door - just where
we wish to step. So when their chicks have flown, I want to remove the nest
and try to deter them from returning. I have no wish to harm them. I want
to ask what I can do to stop them this and every year.

One thought I have is if it might be possible to put some surface finish
which their mud and spit won't stick to. The problem is - what can be used
without being unsightly. May I ask for suggestions for this and maybe any
other solutions?

Swallows used to occupy the same nest every year in our stables, until
this year. This year, before the swallows arrived, some other bird (a
wren, I suspect) kitted the swallows' nest with a nice mossy lining,
then decided to go and nest somewhere else. When the swallows arrived
they (presumably seeing the moss and Not Liking It) quickly built a new
nest about 10 feet away.

So, why not fill the nest with something that stops them using it? My
guess is they'd choose a new site nearby but not immediately adjacent.

--
Mike Barnes

Mike Barnes wrote:
In uk.d-i-y, Marcus Foreman wrote:

I have a wooden holiday home. The cladding is made of overlapping vertical
planks in two layers giving a castellated surface, and this is stained
'Oregon Pine'.

Unfortunately, a pair of swallows have built their nest high up under the
overhanging roof. Their droppings land just outside the door - just where
we wish to step. So when their chicks have flown, I want to remove the nest
and try to deter them from returning. I have no wish to harm them. I want
to ask what I can do to stop them this and every year.

One thought I have is if it might be possible to put some surface finish
which their mud and spit won't stick to. The problem is - what can be used
without being unsightly. May I ask for suggestions for this and maybe any
other solutions?


Swallows used to occupy the same nest every year in our stables, until
this year. This year, before the swallows arrived, some other bird (a
wren, I suspect) kitted the swallows' nest with a nice mossy lining,
then decided to go and nest somewhere else. When the swallows arrived
they (presumably seeing the moss and Not Liking It) quickly built a new
nest about 10 feet away.

So, why not fill the nest with something that stops them using it? My
guess is they'd choose a new site nearby but not immediately adjacent.

If nothing else swallows are persistent. a pair had my garage (inside)
surveyed for housing, and found it satisfactory. working in the garage
with the door open became impossible. I was told just keep the garage
door closed and they will go away. Well they may eventually, here I am
three weeks later and still they come in whenever I open the garage
door. The only way to stop them building is next year keep removing the
beginnings of their nest, this is allowable, eventually they will give
up and go elsewhere.

On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 08:47:00 +0100, Broadback wrote:

The only way to stop them building is next year keep removing the
beginnings of their nest, this is allowable, eventually they will
give up and go elsewhere.

Or hang up strips (couple of inches wide and something over 12" long
attached at one narrow end space about 18" or so) of white/coloured
plastic supermarket bag (cheap) along where they are trying to build.

The movement puts 'em off, might not be so effective in a garage but
works on exterior eves. Fix the strips to a bit of string and sling
that between upper floor windows if access is a problem. Only needs to
be up while they swallows/swifts/martins are house hunting.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

I want to remove the nest
and try to deter them from returning. I have no wish to harm them.

Habitat destruction is the most effective way destroying wildlife. And
just because you worried you might step in some droppings. That is so
sad. What would an English summer be without swallows? I leave the
garage door open and place a sheet of cardboard under where the
dropping fall.

wrote:

I want to remove the nest
and try to deter them from returning. I have no wish to harm them.

Habitat destruction is the most effective way destroying wildlife. And
just because you worried you might step in some droppings. That is so
sad. What would an English summer be without swallows? I leave the
garage door open and place a sheet of cardboard under where the
dropping fall.

I would have gladly done that if it was simply a case of leaving the car
out. However I have a lot of expensive equipment in the garage, and
when they went walk about one night I don't think the insurance company
would pay up, do you? Anyway I destroyed nothing I simply persuaded
them to go elsewhere BEFORE they had completed their survey. The only
way to "green" this planet is severely reduce the human population, any
volunteers?

wrote in message
oups.com...
I want to remove the nest
and try to deter them from returning. I have no wish to harm them.

Habitat destruction is the most effective way destroying wildlife. And
just because you worried you might step in some droppings. That is so
sad. What would an English summer be without swallows? I leave the
garage door open and place a sheet of cardboard under where the
dropping fall.

Well said.

Mary

On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 17:20:37 +0100, Marcus Foreman
wrote:

One thought I have is if it might be possible to put some surface finish
which their mud and spit won't stick to. The problem is - what can be used
without being unsightly. May I ask for suggestions for this and maybe any
other solutions?

The technique used round here is to put a horizontal board some way
below the nest and above your head which catches most of the droppings

Anna


~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

On Sun, 05 Jun 2005 20:27:15 GMT, (Anna Kettle)
wrote:

The technique used round here is to put a horizontal board some way
below the nest and above your head which catches most of the droppings

For example

http://www.suffolkcam.co.uk/bardwell_cottage.jpg
http://www.kirtlingandupend.org.uk/a...ng_Suffolk.jpg



~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

That's interesting. Round here I notice that it's the house martins
that nest under the eaves and would make use of those boards running
half way up the gables, while the swallows seem to prefer to nest
inside buildings the better to crap on ones lawnmower.

"Anna Kettle" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 04 Jun 2005 17:20:37 +0100, Marcus Foreman
wrote:

One thought I have is if it might be possible to put some surface finish
which their mud and spit won't stick to. The problem is - what can be
used
without being unsightly. May I ask for suggestions for this and maybe any
other solutions?

The technique used round here is to put a horizontal board some way
below the nest and above your head which catches most of the droppings

That's a bit too complicated though, innit!

Much easier to destroy habitats ...

Mary

Anna


~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
|____| www.kettlenet.co.uk 01359 230642

In uk.d-i-y, Mary Fisher wrote:
"Anna Kettle" wrote in message
...

The technique used round here is to put a horizontal board some way
below the nest and above your head which catches most of the droppings

That's a bit too complicated though, innit!

Much easier to destroy habitats ...

I see your point but don't you think you're coming on a bit strong? It's
clear from the OP's message that he means no harm and he is prepared to
wait until the coast is clear and then go to some trouble to solve the
problem. Yes that will destroy one site but you have no way of knowing
whether sites are in short supply in his area. In fact from his
description it seems quite likely that there are other suitable sites
available elsewhere on his house, and all he wants to do is to dissuade
the swallows from nesting right above the front door.

I don't condone wholesale destruction of habitats but that's not what
we're talking about here, is it?

--
Mike Barnes

"Mike Barnes" wrote in message
...
In uk.d-i-y, Mary Fisher wrote:
"Anna Kettle" wrote in message
...

The technique used round here is to put a horizontal board some way
below the nest and above your head which catches most of the droppings

That's a bit too complicated though, innit!

Much easier to destroy habitats ...

I see your point but don't you think you're coming on a bit strong?

No.

It's
clear from the OP's message that he means no harm and he is prepared to
wait until the coast is clear and then go to some trouble to solve the
problem. Yes that will destroy one site but you have no way of knowing
whether sites are in short supply in his area.

Swallows traditionally go back to the same sites, once found. Using a board
wouldn't be a problem and everyone would be happy.

I don't condone wholesale destruction of habitats but that's not what
we're talking about here, is it?

It's what many people advocate, I have as much right to oppose that view as
they have to make it. Not only the OP reads the thread.

Mary

--
Mike Barnes

"Broadback" wrote in message
...
wrote:

I want to remove the nest
and try to deter them from returning. I have no wish to harm them.

Habitat destruction is the most effective way destroying wildlife. And
just because you worried you might step in some droppings. That is so
sad. What would an English summer be without swallows? I leave the
garage door open and place a sheet of cardboard under where the
dropping fall.

I would have gladly done that if it was simply a case of leaving the car
out. However I have a lot of expensive equipment in the garage, and when
they went walk about one night I don't think the insurance company would
pay up, do you? Anyway I destroyed nothing I simply persuaded them to go
elsewhere BEFORE they had completed their survey. The only way to "green"
this planet is severely reduce the human population, any volunteers?

We simply removed a small top plank from a gable end of a garage at one
house a few years ago and the swallows quite happily used that for access.
In our present abode we have two swallows nests in a large barn style stable
block and they access via a small high window without any glass in it. Doors
are secured in the normal way.
Mind you when a door is opened the swallows use that for preference.
Country lore always says it is lucky to have swallows nesting round your
dwelling and they do consume tremendous numbers of small insects such as
midges.