Hi, I'm new to the site and want to ask a few questions. Question one refers to the fact that in 6-8 wks time I'm going to have a new front door installed. There's a nest in the porch just a foot or two away from the door. This nest is normally taken by house martins. The 6-8 wk lead time takes the installation date to mid-end April. Will this disturb house martins?
My second questions also refers to house martins. I have an old unused stable overgrown with Ivy which I want to convert to a studio. This will require putting on a new but rudimentary roof and doing a bit of plastering etc. Currently, the stable is the summer home of loads of house martins. I don't want to lose them and was thinking about how viable it was to move the nests - that is, literally prise the nests from the beams in the stable, and re-adhere them on the outside of the stable. Would this work? Would they use the nest (it certainly won't be as cosy having a nest on the outside of a stable as the inside)? Would they be put off by building work to put on a new roof? What do you advise?
Jojosum said: put holes in the side of the stable for them to use. Would that work?
I'm interested to hear others thoughts on this too?
As an aside, if you were using the stable as a studio. would that not entail a door being fitted, for basic security reasons, thus potentially blocking the birds entrance?