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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder where all of the House Martins are?

48 replies

ingeniousidiot · 29/05/2016 19:38

And I mean the birds, not the band - we have none, we usually have up to a dozen nests, they should be here by now. Have they built at your house instead? I'm in East Yorks.

OP posts:

ZebedeesJeans · 29/05/2016 20:50

I'm also in East Yorks and now you mention it I think we only have swallows so far (who arrived a week or so earlier than normal)

Foxyloxy1plus1 · 29/05/2016 20:58

There are house martins in the apex of my neighbours roof. We're in the south, near the coast.

NerrSnerr · 29/05/2016 21:11

Worra beat me to it!

AugustRose · 29/05/2016 21:16

I think I have most of them

I'm in North Cumbria too and I have loads, there are at least 6 nests on my house windows and there will be more in the derelict barns - swallows nests too.

Our house martins arrived really early this year, they've been here at last 5 weeks.

HoneyDragon · 29/05/2016 21:28

Our Swifts returned this weekend .... We've politely declined their use of inside the garage this year as it was a fucking pita getting up at dawn to let them out and staying up until they'd all gone to bed to lock up.

They did a fly around in the kitchen though but deemed it unsatisfactory cheeky wee buggers.

echt · 29/05/2016 21:47

Now I've got an ear worm of "Happy Hour".

I'm in Australia and the welcome swallow, as it's called, bogs off to the Top End in the winter months.

YouTheCat · 29/05/2016 21:50

I'm in the North East. Not seen a single swift this May yet. They are very late. But the weather has been very odd recently and there's not much insect life about at the moment.

CocktailQueen · 29/05/2016 21:50

What sort of twat would put up barriers to stop them nesting?!

Lots here in Northumberland...

FlibbertigibbetArmadillo · 29/05/2016 21:52

I'm in Kent and they build outside my window at work. There are a lot of them and they have been very active for nearly 2 weeks already.

MrsMonkeyBear · 30/05/2016 05:18

I'm in East Lothian and we have about 3 nests on the front of the house. Every year there's loads of nests on my street. We back on to a huge field, so loads of bugs and mud around.

Original poster

ingeniousidiot · 30/05/2016 08:44

Well I'm hoping 'ours' have moved somewhere new, although I don't think it's likely is it? Our nearest neighbours are over a mile away, so it's not as if they're nesting 3 doors down or anything. Swallows are here though.

OP posts:

carabos · 30/05/2016 08:49

One of them was on a ski trip with some friends of ours a while back...

Feathered variety - ours seem to have come and gone in a flash. I think it's the late spring that has confused them. The horses are still wearing their winter coats too.

BankWadger · 30/05/2016 08:53

Stacks here in Central Scotland. Keeping the swifts and swallows company

kinkytoes · 30/05/2016 09:05

I'm enjoying both the conversations here

I'm in East Anglia and wondered about putting some nests up on my eaves. Would they find them though? I have no idea if they use this area. Also, how noisy are they and how long do they nest for?

Wordsaremything · 30/05/2016 09:27

Got them here, west yorks - not quite so many as usual though

Bassetfeet · 30/05/2016 18:16

So pleased that so many have the lovely swifts,swallows and house martins back . And very envious of those who have terraced nests .
I loved watching the parents lure them out of the nest by swooping low back and forth .
Think I read in the past on RSPB website that the war torn countries these amazing birds fly through have made an impact on our migrating birds from Africa . Also the trapping in the Mediterranean.
Anyone seen an Arctic tern yet?

Bassetfeet · 30/05/2016 18:27

oh crikey . Just generally ..not that they nest under our eaves or in our barns or garage .

jo2107 · 30/05/2016 18:34

I'm in N Yorks and mine returned a couple of weeks ago, bit later than last year. They are around, gradually increasing in numbers

spidey66 · 30/05/2016 18:38

I was going to say two of them are in the Beautiful South, one has disappeared off the face of the earth (I think he may have written some kids books) but I have no idea what happened to Norman Cook.

The original drummer went down for attempted murder after attacking his business partner with an axe due to debts.

I absolutely adored them back in the day.

Ouryve · 30/05/2016 18:40

I'm an ex mining village in co Durham . We've never had them around here. Fly fly around us on the school run.

Conversely, I've yet to see any swifts, for the first year I can remember.

spidey66 · 30/05/2016 18:41

I tell a lie, Hugh Whittaker wasn't the original drummer, but he was the drummer at the time of their first LP, London 0, Hull 4. And what a cracker of an LP that is.

BestIsWest · 30/05/2016 18:43

Spent a happy half hour last week watching the sand martins swooping in and out of their nests on our local beach. Great fun.

We don't have house martins but DM has annual visitors. I will have to ask if they're back.

IndridCold · 30/05/2016 19:40

Ours have been back for a month. We have many swift nests in our barn and I noticed that some have nested in a new site in the eaves of our house.
I tend to notice the swifts most, as they make the most noise, but there seem to be plenty of swallows and martins around too. I love watching them swooping around in the evenings.

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