Another Housemartins Thread

Cee-Jay-Cee

We moved into our new house 6 years ago and have had up to 6 nests in both gable apexs and above downpipes in the eaves since we moved in. We always allowed them despite the mess they made on the walls and footpaths below. This year, however, we are getting the house painted and so I removed all the nests above the down pipes (I done this in January when the nest were empty) and stuffed the recess where they built with folded up chicken wire however as the house is two storey the gable apexes are too high to reach and they have started building on one side of the house again.

I got a ladder and power washer and washed away the start of their nest (they had only started a few hours previous so I was not removing an entire nest) That was a few days ago and they seem to have left now and gone elsewhere.

I do not require a lecture on how they are protected and have flown thousands of miles to nest, I realise all that and have up until this year let them nest but as I'm paying a lot of money to have the house painted, I do not want it destroyed with bird droppings from them. Couple this with the fact that my 5 yr old daughter is terrified of them as they swoop down towards the ground when people are about. I want her to be able to go out to play in peace and in this instance she is more of a priority than the birds.

I was thinking of getting a fake/decoy owl or falcon and placing it on a pole to deter them from the area so looking for advice on what the best method to use.

Thanks

OpenYourEyes

Mod Note: It is against the law to interfere with a nest once the birds have started construction. Thread Locked.