House martins

Thu 22 Jun 2023, 17:01

Helen Jo - when you mentioned video does that mean something like a webcam has been fitted? Any URL you can give? Those webcams are wonderful things, 20 years ago our then small children followed the progress of the Mummy and Daddy Peregrines and their Brood messily dismantling the Pigeons of Chichester Cathedral Tower! The resolution of pixels in those days of slow dial-up internet/web access was very low with grainy images and suchlike limitations, compared to that now.

I'd love a webcam on wherever the Kites are nesting!

Thu 22 Jun 2023, 15:36 (last edited on Thu 22 Jun 2023, 15:36)

James: har!

Mon 19 Jun 2023, 11:33 (last edited on Mon 19 Jun 2023, 12:00)

This summer we are closely monitoring the few active house martin and swallow nesting sites that are left in Charlbury, and surveying to see if there are some we don't know about.  

We are thinking about putting up nesting bowls for the  2024 nesting eason to see if that will support them. If you have a house martin or swallow nesting on your building then you're very lucky indeed ! 

Please let us know -  either message me here or at Charlburywildlifesociety@gmail.com   

Thank you. 

Sat 25 Feb 2023, 13:07

It was great to see the video of House Martin (birds) using the nests provided.  They are such an amazing little bird that undertakes one of the longest migrations to Africa each year.  Returning to the same site in UK in spring to nest & bring up their young.  I hadn’t realised the huge amount of mosquitoes they eat every day.  Thank goodness for all these birds, including swifts & swallows.  
After realising how numbers have decreased in Charlbury it would be great if we could help more find a suitable nest site here, I hadn’t thought that by providing permanent man made nests it saves them time & so much energy in building their own, giving longer for fledglings to mature before their long migration in autumn.

As you say we need to know which houses have returning House Martins - their nests are very easy to spot by just walking around your home.

Wed 22 Feb 2023, 08:54

I have to praise you, Miles.

Tue 21 Feb 2023, 08:00

Charlie, I think its (almost) a joke on a song by the band 'The House Martins' rather than a dig.

Tue 21 Feb 2023, 05:32

Seems like a perfectly reasonable reasonable request to me! 
Beautiful creatures!

Tue 21 Feb 2023, 04:50 (last edited on Tue 21 Feb 2023, 09:53)

You’re asking every woman and every man to stand up and look for nesting sites?

Mon 20 Feb 2023, 21:23

Charlbury used to have hundreds of house martins in the summer, no longer.

I'm doing a quick survey of house martin nesting sites in Charlbury now. Please could you let me know if you have house martins nesting at your house. Also if you are interested in having nest cups put up.

I'm aware of the colony at the Rose and Crown.