Topic: Ceramic House Martin Nest

[Jayb]

While I was looking for some wooden nest boxes http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,78675.msg796732/topicseen.html#new I came across some ceramic House Martin Nests https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Ceramic+House+Martin+Nest&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=I828VKSjFMmrUcHQgqAN&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=1536&bih=783   and wondered if anyone else has experience of these. We usually get several pairs of HM making their nest on the house and although I'm not that keen that they do (they make such a mess, particularly if I forget and open a window underneath them!) I wouldn't try and prevent them. But quite often if the weather becomes wet after a dry spell their nest comes unstuck and falls, so sad to see the dead or dying chicks. Plus the Woodpeckers attack the nests sometimes.

Does anyone know if they are any good and would the HM they use them?

[Mikeakabigman]

Yes they are good, I have used them, as did my employer, the Forestry commission on their research buildings, we had similar problems one particular year, with not enough puddles/mud etc. to repair or make new nests, the terracotta ones did the job a treat.

[Jayb]

Nice one, thanks Mike, you wouldn't know if they are fairly easy to attach or not?

[Mikeakabigman]

Depends what you are attaching to,  the ones we had were mounted on an L shaped wooden backing board with pre drilled holes, simply screw to the underneath of a wooden sofat... (underneath your roof overhang - eaves) using just wood screws or drill into the brickwork using rawl plugs and screws.