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House Martins

Grd
28/06/2023 21:05

Hi

I know very little about birds and their behaviours etc.  However, since moving to our house around 5 years ago I’ve been fascinated and delighted to watch house martins go to and from their nests around our small estate which is set in rural farmland in south west Scotland.  Our neighbours house always seemed to have lots of nests (it’s a converted hay barn).  However, over the last few days, they have found dead chicks on the ground with the nests above destroyed - they are as dismayed as the rest of us.  What might be possible explanations for this?  I can understand predators and such like, but the chicks appeared to be untouched and disease wouldn’t have destroyed the nests?

Grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks

  • 29/06/2023 23:41
    Hi

    To be honest, I wouldn’t know if the sparrow numbers have increased. There doesn’t appear to be markedly more but then again, it’s not something I would generally notice. I forgot to include in my list of birds earlier a substantial population of magpies, crows and such like (corvids I think they’re called), and as we’re around 4 to 5 miles from the coast, a lot of seagulls - although the latter only appear in large numbers when the farmers are spraying their fields and otherwise generally just fly overhead.

    Must admit - maybe I need to spend some more time learning something about birds. Thanks for your help/pointers - much appreciated.
  • 01/07/2023 20:29
    Dear ItsaRobbo

    Given your kindness in helping me earlier, I thought I.d let you know.

    Following a day of intermittent sunshine/ rain, the early part of the evening suddenly turned really pleasant and warm. As ever the midges then appeared in their usual vast numbers and I’ve just spent a very pleasant hour watching an aerobatics display team of (circa, 30-40 house martins) put on the most amazing show. So whatever has happened to the nests here, there are still lots of the lovely wee things around. My son and daughter in law were here and couldn’t believe the sight. I tried to video it (don’t know if I can post videos to this forum) but they’re so small, fast and agile, my iPhone camera couldn’t pick them up against the sky background. - I’ll work on that.

    So, the resilient wee things are managing just fine,
  • 01/07/2023 21:41
    very sad. such lovely little summer friends. we have 5 pairs this year ( up one ) i think possibly correct that long dry weather may have done the damage. . billf