Those Pesky Barn Swallows

[funh2o]

Hi all,
I don't know if any of you have trouble with Barn Swallows, but they sure can try your nerves. The wife and I have a house that has a brick archway overhanging the front porch. Well last year we were tearing down this swallow nest every two days or so. They would just keep rebuilding it. Needless to say the front porch was always full of bird droppings and nesting materials. Well the last time I tore it down last year, the wife wanted me to clean the side of the brick. She said to use some Pine Sol in the water. Well, being the faithful husband and always following her orders (Choke) thats what I did. Well, they returned again this year and proceded to build another nest. To make a long story short, I tore done the nest and washed the area and then sprayed Pine Sol on the brick again. Well, they haven't been back since I did that. It's been about two weeks now.

Thought if anyone had this problem around the smoker or house, you could give it a try. I mixed about 1 cup of Pine Sol to a gallon of water and then applied it with one of those yard sprayer hand held tanks
Seems to work. At least we don't have to tear down the nest every 3 days or so.
If anyone trys this let me know how it works out for ya.

Happy Smokin

Steve

 

[cowgirl]

Steve, I appreciate the tip. Thanks!!
I have the same problem. Last year I attached a piece of string in the nest location. It seemed to work for awhile, they didn't like the movement the string made.....but your method sounds better.

 

[patohunter]

Barn Swallers is deelicious smoked. I find a .410 to be the best way to get rid of'em

 

[desertlites]

Providing a nesting site for the barn swallows such as bird houses a distance away from your porch might be a good ida. We love our desert birds and provide them food and water and in return we are entertained with their antics. The big picture window out onto our porch is much more entertaining than the boob tube. After all, the area you live in was once home to birds and animals before we came her. Westerners brought a lot of ideas about erradicating pests to the new world. Native Americans were almost completely erradicated through genocide. Sometimes I wonder if we haven't offened nature with our ideas of erradicating pests and changing the land, water and air to suit our tastes. There is so much extreme weather and natural disasters, it wouldn't surprise me if Nature had decided to erradicate us.just a thought!

 

[agmeyer]

Being an ex-Marine and "Rifle Expert?" I tend to go the way of my RWS 34 Scoped .177 Air Rifle. It is a blast to shoot sparrows. I don't normally shoot barn swallows; but if they are pests so be it. Semper Fi.

 

[cowgirl]

I like the swallows in my barns and other outbuildings, they eat a lot of bugs.
It's the one nest spot under the porch eve that is in a bad location for me.. I guess they like the view as much as I do.

I can't imagine the size of the bug population without them.

 

[lawdog]

your right, the swallows eat their weight in mosquitos alone. try stringing up fishing line under the eaves of your porch criss crossed, they won't be able to fly up there and start the nests. the idea of placing houses away from the area still keeps them close enough to go on bug patrol but far enough out to not be a nusince.
good luck

 

[cowgirl]

lawdog...good idea....Thanks!

 

[funh2o]

Desertlites....I too like birds and most living things. We have bird feeders in the yard and bird baths also. We have two nests of robins under our deck that my smoker sits on. Just wanted you to know that I wasn't trying to erradicate the barn swallows, just wanted them to take their little feathered bodies and build their nest somewhere other than above our front door

Happy Smokin

Steve

 

[rivet]

I saw this post about barnswallows and I had to share about one of the nicest, funniest movies I have seen and it includes barnswallows. It is called "Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation" and it has Jimmy Stewart and Maureen O'Hara in it. There is a hilarious scene in which Jimmy Stewart is following his father in law, in search of birds, but all Jimmy finds are barnswallows.

Anyway, for all you all that can appreciate older movies (this one was from the 1960's) you might like it!

 

[coyote]

don't be afraid to say you kill them. we are at the top of the food chain for a reason.
I used to waste my time chaseing them away and cleaning up after the flying rats. and that was only to keep the kids from freakin out.
now my kids join in when needed. we all have pellet rifles with scopes. and use the flying rats for fertilizer. are feed the coyotes. head shots ten points, body shots five, wounded and fly away to tell others not to come to my place 100points.

 

[irwinwd]

coyote,

I couldn't agree more. My battle is with a series of skunks who just love to dig holes in my yard chasing after grubs. The big difference in scoring systems there is there is a big negative score for allowing one to spray before killing it or running it off. It borders on being disowned if you let a wounded one take refuge in the wrong place.

 

[coyote]

LOL...your right, whole nother kinda scoring system..lol.

remember, there is room for all god's critters right next to the mashed potaos, are for coyote bait ifin they ain't fit ta eat or smoke..lol.

 

[travcoman45]

Excellent flick rivet. Laugh every time we watch it!