Every year they want to make a nest on top of our front porch camera. Every year we end up just taking the camera down for a month. They showed up this morning scouting out their spot. I decided to cobble up a camera enclosure, hopefully this will foil them. They are industrious and persistent, so we'll see. Just a tiny bit of the wood shows up in the picture, but not bad. For those that live in areas without barn swallows, when they are nesting, it's not pleasant to be near them, they dive bomb you like jet fighters.
Those $&@) Barn Swallows
- Thread starter KenB259
- Start date
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jttheclockman
Member
I do not know one bird from another but can relate on the problem. 5 years ago I had the exterior of my house redone with siding and also a stone front. I put shutters up on the front windows as normal here. The problem which I never thought would be one, is that they stand off the stone some because of the irregularities of the stones. Well this became a perfect place for some small birds to build their nests behind them. For 2 months I would go out and clean the nests they started to build but that did not stop them nor did they get the message. Right back the next day. Finally I had enough and had to put some thin wire mesh to block the entrances behind each shutter from both sides and top. The birds proceeded to make their nests in the bushes in front which I did not mind except that those small ones become very noisy when they start to get big.
1080Wayne
Member
My swallows haven`t arrived yet . Thought maybe bird flu had hit them , but perhaps it just takes them longer to get back from Capistrano . Last year was terrible . Had to finally tack three plastic shopping bags up over my front door and porch to flap in the breeze to deter them from their preferred sites .
One pair ultimately decided that the finial and cover on top of the garage side door entrance light was an acceptable place . It was for me too as the poop would just fall on the ground , but then I discovered that the one not tending the nest had found that the drip overhang above my front door side window was a convenient resting place , not far from home . So , every night when I came home from the shop , he was waiting . I rationalized that one birds poop is less than 4 or 5 would have been .
After removing the nest last fall , I left the light cover off . Two weeks ago a pair of robins thought that would be an ideal spot . I let them build , but now I have to use the back door more , so that I don`t disturb her !
One pair ultimately decided that the finial and cover on top of the garage side door entrance light was an acceptable place . It was for me too as the poop would just fall on the ground , but then I discovered that the one not tending the nest had found that the drip overhang above my front door side window was a convenient resting place , not far from home . So , every night when I came home from the shop , he was waiting . I rationalized that one birds poop is less than 4 or 5 would have been .
After removing the nest last fall , I left the light cover off . Two weeks ago a pair of robins thought that would be an ideal spot . I let them build , but now I have to use the back door more , so that I don`t disturb her !
Woodchipper
Member
Last year, had a robin build a nest over the floodlight on the deck. So far, none this year.
Bean_Counter
Member
Omg I feel your pain. We have 2 pairs that have showed up the past 3 years. This year I had enough with the poop and kamakazes so I've been knocking the nests down every day for the last 3 weeks. Every day they start to build another and still haven't got the message. From the post above it seems like they won't. Ugh
Kenny Durrant
Member
I have some friends that had a pair of swallows build a nest on thier front porch. They said the first year with one pair was pretty cool. The next year they brought some friends, the birds friends, and it was no longer cool but a big mess. I really enjoy the wildlife around the house but I don't want them in or on the house. Good luck.
Woodchipper
Member
Hey! Good thing we don't have elephants around here.
donstephan
Member
I miss barn swallows since moving several years ago. Such industrius and effective builders
leehljp
Member Liaison
I like your solution! Well done. I have 4 similar cameras around my house to cover all directions. So far, I haven't had any problems with birds building on/over them. I will watch out for them.
I'll send you a couple
randyrls
Member
I have a contrary view. Barn swallows are great to have around. They eat mosquitos and flies. At our hobby field the mosquitos bite the heck out of you! We put up several nesting boxes and all the little buggers disappeared.
They are welcome l, except on my camera
moke
Member
barn swallows may eat a lot of mosquitos, but they crap it out in my garage if I leave the door open....not a fan....