# Persistent Swallows.



## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I have a nice open car port where our new (ish) car gets parked.
Initially when a couple of Swallows built a mud nest up against one of the roof joist we thought how nice and put up with the odd blob of mud and poop.

Now they have fledged and flown. Not far. But have teamed up with another dozen Swallows who also think my car port would make an ideal nesting site. 
My car is now covered in mud and poop on a daily basis almost making seeing out difficult. I wash all crap off but next afternoon covered again.

Not wishing to harm the little darlings, I tried a flashing light beneath the roof. But this didn't deter or make the slightest difference. I hung cloth from the rafters but again without success. 

Has anyone any ideas to deter the little darlings from persisting to cover my car with guano? And don't suggest parking elsewhere.

Ray.:frown2:


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Maybe a model or stuffed bird of prey like a Hobby who's natural prey in the wild are Swallows and Swifts ???? Apart from that I ain't got a clue.

Steve


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Electric fence???


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Electric fence???


Daft bugger, they are already sitting on electric wires.

Ray.


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

We had/have the same problem with our verandah. It is south facing to open countryside and until I took action, Swallows thought it was a great place to live. I tried various means, but over the past couple of years have now found a way that deters them. Old CDs, they don't like them, they don't like them! The verandah is 16' long and 5 CDs strung at intervals from the leading roof edge has deterred them for the last few years. It is actually nice sitting watching them fly, see the CDs and 'swiftly' change course.

The CDs are of no particular type of music as I don't know the musical preference of Swallows.

Good luck because they do create a horrible mess.

Dave


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## Leffe NL (Jul 14, 2015)

dovtrams said:


> The CDs are of no particular type of music as I don't know the musical preference of Swallows.
> 
> Dave


It's a great idea, can I suggest the following bands:


The Eagles
Counting Crows
Hawkwind

If these fail, you might need to go with Whitesnake, but only under extreme circumstances!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Brilliant Dave.
Will get onto this deterrent immediately.

Thanks Ray.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

raynipper said:


> Daft bugger, they are already sitting on electric wires.
> 
> Ray.


Yeah but if they had one really long leg = toast.

I meant an electric fence.

Try cotton/fishing line, or a mesh to stop them landing.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

OH Kev, how could you?? CDs are much kinder................................... Ray.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> Yeah but if they had one really long leg = toast.
> 
> I meant an electric fence.
> 
> Try cotton/fishing line, or a mesh to stop them landing.


Bloody hell kev, with an electric fence they would need a very long leg to touch the ground :violent1: :grin2:

Terry


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

raynipper said:


> Brilliant Dave.
> Will get onto this deterrent immediately.
> 
> Thanks Ray.


Make sure the youngsters have left the nest first Ray

Sandra


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

dghr272 said:


> Bloody hell kev, with an electric fence they would need a very long leg to touch the ground :violent1: :grin2:
> 
> Terry


Thicko, you put it where the bloody Swallows are sitting :roll: :roll:

For myself I'd just move the car, these modern ones are designed to go out in all weathers


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

A wooden beam as a perch wood be a good insulator how prey tell will the bird get grounded to complete a circuit ? :withstupid::withstupid::withstupid: :grin2:


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

aldra said:


> Make sure the youngsters have left the nest first Ray
> Sandra


Oh yes Sandra they have left and it looks like they are coming back en masse with all their friends.

Ray.


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

We had Swallows each year in a property we bought in France. When we bought the property it hadn't been lived in for 50 years so the Swallows had been having a whale of a time. We had to wait until September to replace the kitchen door to the outside until they were gone, unfortunately the following Summer they thought that their home would be available again and kept crashing into the glass door. They then migrated to the barn under the house, which we didn't mind, and the little ones, when they were learning to fly, would swoop all over our balcony and into the kitchen if the door was open, they appeared to be showing off to us, their favourite sitting place was on an old fashioned ceiling clothes rack in the kitchen. I was very sorry when we sold the house to come back to the UK because they were very entertaining but I understand your problem as they do make a mess.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

dghr272 said:


> A wooden beam as a perch wood be a good insulator how prey tell will the bird get grounded to complete a circuit ? :withstupid::withstupid::withstupid: :grin2:


Now let me see, I wonder if two wires close together might work :roll:  

Prey, like that


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

As I said initially I didn't want to harm but just deter them.
I'm getting enough stick from my wife over this anyway. If I actually harmed one it could be very serious.
This from someone who throws rocks at neighbours cat for sitting under the bird feeders.?

The CDs have slowed them down Dave but as yet not stopped them. I might have to increase the discs. Of course in the end the swallows might just end up above my van and then another battle will ensue.

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

simply put a shelf under the nests to catch the debris, that's what we did, even left a window open in the front porch to allow them another escape route. Swallows are very entertaining little darlings, I love hearing them jabbering to each other. Cover your car with something, old blankets will do.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

raynipper said:


> As I said initially I didn't want to harm but just deter them.
> I'm getting enough stick from my wife over this anyway. If I actually harmed one it could be very serious.
> This from someone who throws rocks at neighbours cat for sitting under the bird feeders.?
> 
> ...


I wouldn't seek to harm them either Ray, god forbid I love to see the swallows and Swifts swooping around, it would be very low current, just enough to deter them landing for very long, a net though would be better, like they put on buildings to stop Pigeons and starlings.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

JanHank said:


> simply put a shelf under the nests to catch the debris, that's what we did, even left a window open in the front porch to allow them another escape route. Swallows are very entertaining little darlings, I love hearing them jabbering to each other. Cover your car with something, old blankets will do.


Would that just give them more space to live Jan.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Like this


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Jan, good move.
But I only use half my car port anyway and I am happy for the swallows to use the other half. But sadly they seem to nest on one half and crap and drop mud on my half.
I'm trying to be reasonable here and just use the car and car port as intended. Live and let live but I can't have my car encrusted with crap.
Yes the idea of chucking a blanket over the car did occur but the wind whips through there and possibly more damage to the paintwork would happen.

All the house, barn and other sheds have eaves they can build under and I would leave them alone. If they would only leave my car out of it.

Ray.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Send them over here to me Ray :grin2:
Each year we have less and less of _*them *_and more and more sparrows.
Hans put a few shelves around the house at the beginning of the year hoping to attract the swallows, bl***y sparrows took up residence, so they all came down before the eggs were laid.

Our bricks dont hold the nests, another reason shelves have been used, we have had a few accidents with nest falling down, you may have read my thread about Lucky the one we saved.
Its only for a few months of the year Ray, can´t you put up with them for the short time they need you.:serious: :crying: Cars do survive out in the fresh air you know :laugh: ours does, spring summer, autumn and winter.

Jan


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## Bobmarley3 (Oct 12, 2011)

Live with it for the rest of the time they are here this year (probably no more than a couple of months). Then over the winter remove the nests. When they return next years don't let them re-build. That should solve it for you. MrsBob


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Our house is covered with Ivy

The Ivy is full of sparrows, they are a declining species over here 

I'd love swallows but the sparrows are amusing little birds especially in large numbers

We clip the Ivy's in a very small window of time,to protect the nests and to ensure enough foliage is left to keep them warm In winter, some flowers left for the butterflies 

Sandra


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

We do seem to have more than our fair share of small birds. Maybe because my wife has multiple feeders and now has put up a dozen or more houses. One is a 'condo' and the sparrows love it. But it does look as the CDs have cut down their visits but not stopped entirely. 
I feel we are lucky in being able to keep our vehicles under cover. No dust and dew in the mornings. No ice and cold wind in winter. Ray.


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## randonneur (Jan 25, 2007)

*Swallows (Hirondelles)*

These were on top of our wall unit in our lounge in France when we left the doors open.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I have persistent swallows too. 



I like beer.


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I have a similar problem Ray, I made up a roof cover using an old sheet and bought four suckers off eBay with screw threads on, made a small hole in each corner, passed the threaded bit through the hole, fastened with the 'nut' and it works fine. Couple of minutes to apply, minute to remove.

Mike


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

JanHank said:


> Like this


That shelf makes it very easy for predators :surprise:

Steve


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Ah, new page. 

Predators such as what Dave? If they can get to the shelf they´ll get to the nest even without it, but swallows tend to build where its not easy for predators to reach them.

Jan


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Predators such as what Dave - That's 'Triggers' saying ain't it:wink2:

It's Steve Jan :grin2:

Well, the shelf turns it into a very easy dining table for any pred such as a cat. Without the shelf, a cat for instance would have to work alot harder for that nest. Just saying:serious:

STEVE:laugh:


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

Have you ever seen a swallows nest that can even be reach by a cat, well maybe one that carries a ladder :laugh: Dave Steve :grin2:

Jan/Milly


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I came out at dusk last night and found 6 or 8 swallows had braved the CDs and roosted in the rafters. But seeing me they all cleared off and didn't come back all night.
But I see them today hovering around and sitting on the phone lines possibly waiting for me to leave.

Ray.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

They are obviously not Des O'connor CD's then.>>

cabby


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Now theres an idea Cabby. Is Tony Blackburn still on radio? I could hang a small radio up in the beams.

Ray.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

raynipper said:


> Now theres an idea Cabby. Is Tony Blackburn still on radio? I could hang a small radio up in the beams.
> 
> Ray.


No he told the Beeb to **** Off more or less.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35656367


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Well my swallows have got over their dislike of CDs and started roosting in the roof again. It's too cosy.!!

Ray.


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