We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

Cheers!

Matt

larkim wrote:
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

After August:
http://www.londons-swifts.org.uk/Re-Roofing.htm

Actually, if I may hijack this thread as this has reminded me of a
related query... I'd rather like to encourage swifts or house-martins to
nest at our place: as a kid I always remember them nesting under the
barge-boards, year after year. Not keen on them possibly damaging my
house though, and I can remember seeing years ago a special replacememt
end-ridge tile which incorporated a nest inside it at the gable end.
This sort of idea:
http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=2&item_pk=224&p=1
but obviously inside a ridge tile.

Anyone know where I can get one? And apart from bird poo collecting on
the ground beneath, are there any good reasons why this might be a Bad Idea?

David




David

larkim wrote:
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

Cheers!

Matt
Should be pretty much over by now, althugh IIRC some birds produce
several clutches a year.

Possibly wait till autumn?

On Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:06:49 -0700, larkim wrote:

We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think at
another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as not
to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about cleaning up
behind them?

Cheers!

Matt

==========================================

I can't help but this recent news item might offer something:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8112032.stm

Cic.

--
==========================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
==========================================

On Jun 30, 1:36*pm, Cicero wrote:
On Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:06:49 -0700, larkim wrote:
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think at
another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as not
to interfere with nesting? *And how thorough should I be about cleaning up
behind them?

Cheers!

Matt

==========================================

I can't help but this recent news item might offer something:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8112032.stm

Cic.

--
==========================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
==========================================

Thanks - I'll dispute the section that says they are quiet though -
they screech like, er, a swift in the evening when they are all out
insect hunting.

Quite happy for them to nest on the outside of the building, just not
in the loft!

Looks like a late August job.

Cheers!

Matt

On Jun 30, 12:06*pm, larkim wrote:
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? *And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?


When I was child my parents blocked the eaves against the swifts who
regularly nested there. They blocked them in the winter when the
swifts were all away.

We were horrified when the swifts came back the next spring because
they obviously knew individually exactly where to go, They flew up
repeatedly into the blocked holes knocking themselves out and falling
onto the ground. Once on the ground a swift cannot take off again.
It was heartbreaking.

In fact it was so heartbreaking that my parents removed all the
blockages during the follwing winter. But the swifts never came
back. That was 40 years ago.

Robert

On Jun 30, 3:55*pm, RobertL wrote:
On Jun 30, 12:06*pm, larkim wrote:

We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? *And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

When I was child my parents blocked the eaves against the swifts who
regularly nested there. They blocked them in the winter when the
swifts were all away.

We were horrified when the swifts came back the next spring because
they obviously knew individually exactly where to go, * They flew up
repeatedly into the blocked holes knocking themselves out and falling
onto the ground. Once on the ground a swift cannot take off again.
It was heartbreaking.

In fact it was so heartbreaking that my parents removed all the
blockages during the follwing winter. *But the swifts never came
back. * That was 40 years ago.

Robert

We'll be feasting on swift then next spring - nice!

(Sorry, tasteless joke, couldn't resist).

Interestingly I've trawled around a little for the "fact" about swifts
not being able to take off again. Apparently its not strictly true -
its just that healthy and uninjured swifts don't take to the ground.
Sick or injured ones do, and they can't take off again (because they
are sick and injured). A healthy one can reflight, and if you really
wanted to you could pick one up and throw it in the air to reflight if
it was just stunned.

Looks like I might be testing out that theory next year!

Matt

Lobster wrote:
larkim wrote:
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

After August:
http://www.londons-swifts.org.uk/Re-Roofing.htm

Actually, if I may hijack this thread as this has reminded me of a
related query... I'd rather like to encourage swifts or house-martins to
nest at our place: as a kid I always remember them nesting under the
barge-boards, year after year. Not keen on them possibly damaging my
house though, and I can remember seeing years ago a special replacememt
end-ridge tile which incorporated a nest inside it at the gable end.
This sort of idea:
http://www.designboom.com/contest/view.php?contest_pk=2&item_pk=224&p=1
but obviously inside a ridge tile.

Anyone know where I can get one? And apart from bird poo collecting on
the ground beneath, are there any good reasons why this might be a Bad
Idea?

David




David
There were several binbags full of straw etc
in my roof from years of birds-
I dont mind the birds
but the straw, droppings, dead meat etc
could be a breeding ground for rats and other vermin...

[g]

"larkim" wrote in message
...
On Jun 30, 1:36 pm, Cicero wrote:
On Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:06:49 -0700, larkim wrote:
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at
another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as not
to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about cleaning
up
behind them?

Cheers!

Matt

==========================================

I can't help but this recent news item might offer something:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8112032.stm

Cic.

--
==========================================
Using Ubuntu Linux
Windows shown the door
==========================================

Thanks - I'll dispute the section that says they are quiet though -
they screech like, er, a swift in the evening when they are all out
insect hunting.

Quite happy for them to nest on the outside of the building, just not
in the loft!

Looks like a late August job.

Cheers!

Matt



The baby swifts make the noise. It is similar to a 3 year old girl throwing
a tantrum.

Adam

On Jun 30, 4:28*pm, larkim wrote:
On Jun 30, 3:55*pm, RobertL wrote:





On Jun 30, 12:06*pm, larkim wrote:

We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? *And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

When I was child my parents blocked the eaves against the swifts who
regularly nested there. They blocked them in the winter when the
swifts were all away.

We were horrified when the swifts came back the next spring because
they obviously knew individually exactly where to go, * They flew up
repeatedly into the blocked holes knocking themselves out and falling
onto the ground. Once on the ground a swift cannot take off again.
It was heartbreaking.

In fact it was so heartbreaking that my parents removed all the
blockages during the follwing winter. *But the swifts never came
back. * That was 40 years ago.

Robert

We'll be feasting on swift then next spring - nice!

(Sorry, tasteless joke, couldn't resist).

Interestingly I've trawled around a little for the "fact" about swifts
not being able to take off again. *Apparently its not strictly true -
its just that healthy and uninjured swifts don't take to the ground.
Sick or injured ones do, and they can't take off again (because they
are sick and injured). *A healthy one can reflight, and if you really
wanted to you could pick one up and throw it in the air to reflight if
it was just stunned.

Looks like I might be testing out that theory next year!


Interesting. I can definitiely remember picking swifts up of the lawn
and throwing them up in the air and seeing them then fly off happily.
Perhaps these had 'crash landed' and were a bit dazed, or were young
birds.

Robert

"larkim" wrote in message
...
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

You should avoid disturbing breeding birds, and generally this means between
June and the end of August. Not doing so, without a proper survey, is
against the law. Even for pigeons!

The other consideration is whether you have bats or not - if you've got or
think you might have bats, you can land yourself in hot water if you start
sealing up holes in your loft willy nilly. However, if you get in touch with
Natural England, then you can generally get things sorted for free.

In article , Doki
scribeth thus

"larkim" wrote in message
...
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane as
nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I think
at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

You should avoid disturbing breeding birds, and generally this means between
June and the end of August. Not doing so, without a proper survey, is
against the law. Even for pigeons!

Pigeons!! about time that law was amended

As to all the others don't mind a few nesting at all, its quite sweet
hearing yet another generation on the go especially the noise when mum
or dad brings home some more grub)

The other consideration is whether you have bats or not - if you've got or
think you might have bats, you can land yourself in hot water if you start
sealing up holes in your loft willy nilly. However, if you get in touch with
Natural England, then you can generally get things sorted for free.


Got a few of them flitting around too, nice to see so much wildlife in
suburbia).
--
Tony Sayer

tony sayer wrote:
In article , Doki
scribeth thus

"larkim" wrote in message
...
We've had some swifts nesting firstly in the eaves and now slightly
further into the loft (I presume they've used some of the membrane
as nesting material and made the hole larger), plus some sparrows I
think at another point.

What time of year is a good time to repair / block these holes so as
not to interfere with nesting? And how thorough should I be about
cleaning up behind them?

You should avoid disturbing breeding birds, and generally this means
between June and the end of August. Not doing so, without a proper
survey, is against the law. Even for pigeons!

Pigeons!! about time that law was amended

I've been on more than one building site that's totally cleared. Apart from
one tree. With one pigeon sat on a nest. Bonkers.

Doki wrote:

You should avoid disturbing breeding birds, and generally this means
between June and the end of August. Not doing so, without a proper
survey, is against the law. Even for pigeons!


Not for pigeons (and a few other species) under the right circumstances.

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Ima..._tcm6-7669.pdf

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Ima..._tcm6-7669.pdf

But if I had swifts I'd do everything I could to encourage them. Apart
from anything else they keep the mozzies down!

Andy

Andy Champ wrote:
Doki wrote:

You should avoid disturbing breeding birds, and generally this means
between June and the end of August. Not doing so, without a proper
survey, is against the law. Even for pigeons!


Not for pigeons (and a few other species) under the right
circumstances.
http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Ima..._tcm6-7669.pdf

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Ima..._tcm6-7669.pdf

But if I had swifts I'd do everything I could to encourage them. Apart
from anything else they keep the mozzies down!

Good point. I think both bats and swifts are efficient avian hoovers of such
beasties. Certainly seemed to be at our previous abode.