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Great Tit nesting in the eaves of a rural dwelling... or more likely mice/rats?

  • 31-08-2013 10:01pm
    #1
    OnlyWayIsUp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 222 ✭✭


    Heard all sorts of scratching noises at about 7am this morning.

    Went outside to where the noise was coming from expecting to see a rat. Was right underneath the noise and much to my surprise a small yellow bellied bird (which I'm thinking is a Great Tit) flew out and away from the gutter directly above the eaves.

    Now is it possible that this is nesting in the house? This is not the first time we've heard these noises, two weeks ago I heard unreal scratching at about 5am and then the next night at about 10pm (pitch dark both times) so we presumed we had rodents of some sort and got Rentokil out. Their initial inspection was that they couldn't see any definitive signs of rodents (though there was old mouse droppings) but Rentokil had been there in previous years as there was some old Rentokil stuff in the attic. Would the birds make a lot of scratching noises at these times or is it probable that we could have both rodents and birds?


Comments

  • #2
    jmkennedyie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 678 ✭✭✭jmkennedyie


    Mice can sound very noisy and scratchy scuttling around on ceilings. There is a saying if it sounds like a rat it is probably a mouse. If it sounds like an elephant it is probably a rat. Mice seek shelter for the winter so many will be moving indoors in the next month or two. I usually get one or two. Have caught and relocated some using a live trap from b and q. Sometimes they just disappear themselves. Best of luck to them.

    Great tit are not nesting this time of year. possibly just roosting (sleeping)... or passing through looking for spiders etc.

    If you want to reduce chances of stuff in your attic best to block up the access (without trapping birds etc inside of course). A mouse can squeeze through a tiny gap... think little finger dimensions. Check around every pipe entering the building. They may get into the cavity of a wall if there is a little gap around the kitchen sink drain pipe for example. Or from a hole on your neighbours side if you are semi detached etc.


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