Something seems to have attacked my 2 housemartin nests in the night - they have been nesting here for a few years now, started with 1 nest and then made another, it was lovely having them and every year they have produced broods. But this year I recently found one nest in pieces on the ground, previously to this a baby martin dead on the ground some way away from the nest which I couldn't understand. Last night I heard some odd noises which sounded like they were outside but on a high level. This morning I found pieces of the second nest on the ground, and saw a big hole in the side of the nest. It looks like something has attacked the nests, they wouldn't just fall into pieces like this :( could it be an owl? The reason I ask is that last week my son noticed a large owl perched on the ridge of our conservatory roof, something I'd never seen before, and I wondered if the owl might have done it? But wouldn't it have eaten the baby rather than drop it? So upsetting and I am so sad for the martings and I can't get up there to protect them, so I wonder if they are gone for good now :(
yes, it is an owl (athena noctua) it always attacks in the evening, I also attack my nests, but since they are artificial nests and not clay, the owl cannot destroy them, I also have a video when it attacks because I have installed a camera that watches them
Seems a very unusual attack ... Have you uploaded your video to Youtube? You will need the URL to post on here so that we can watch it!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
youtu.be/g_O5eFI7aZM
Thanks for the link. Regarding your footage, I'm wondering if the owl is looking for a potential nest site. Why would it attack an empty nest?
he is attacking is a nest of martins, they are inside because they have eggs, the owl finds time to attack at night when they are sleeping and they cannot get out of the nest, but their luck is that the nests are artificial, not clay, because the owl would have caught them, visit all three nests but without result because they are hard material, not clay, it came that night and has not come again.
Thanks. Certainly house martins visiting the nest. Is this UK?