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House Martin guarding nest over winter (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Mightydev
- Start date
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Welcome to Birdforum MD!
Your birds don’t sound like House Martin to me, have you taken any photos of them to help us identify the species?
Your birds don’t sound like House Martin to me, have you taken any photos of them to help us identify the species?
Kits
Picture Picker
Welcome to Birdforum. I hope you enjoy your visits.
That sounds strange behaviour.
You might find this link helpful.
www.birdforum.net
That sounds strange behaviour.
You might find this link helpful.
Common House Martin - BirdForum Opus
www.birdforum.net
Hi Dev and a warm welcome from me too. House Martins can't stay here through the winter as there's no insects for them to eat. They catch their food on the wing.
The only species I can think of, at the moment, that it could be is the White Wagtail, or the version we have here is called the Pied Wagtail. You can see a picture here (by Christine Redgate) on our Opus article: White Wagtail - BirdForum Opus (the subspecies yarrelli). But as Richard says, a picture if you can manage it (wagtails are difficult as they are never still.... always wagging their tails LOL), would help us sort this out. They will make use of nest boxes to roost in over the winter.
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.
The only species I can think of, at the moment, that it could be is the White Wagtail, or the version we have here is called the Pied Wagtail. You can see a picture here (by Christine Redgate) on our Opus article: White Wagtail - BirdForum Opus (the subspecies yarrelli). But as Richard says, a picture if you can manage it (wagtails are difficult as they are never still.... always wagging their tails LOL), would help us sort this out. They will make use of nest boxes to roost in over the winter.
I'm sure you will enjoy it here and I hope to hear about all the birds you see when out and about.
Chesterhartingdon
New member
Hi, I can second this. Here in Powys we have currently 2 housemartins roosting under our house in late January. Definitely not wagtails. I’ll take a picture.
:Andy Lakin
Well-known member
Please share the pictures this would be an extremely rare occurrence at this time of year.
Chesterhartingdon
New member
Hi all,
OK, I think it’s a case of human error on my behalf…no surprises! We live next to a river and I think it’s a dipper! It got me because we do have housemartins right where these two were roosting and they look so similar when puffed up and from the front with white bib.
The penny dropped when I saw one today flying at low level over the water and then go in for a dip. I took a pic.. Oh well, no fame and glory for me having discovered weird overwintering housemartins….
Bad photo attached
OK, I think it’s a case of human error on my behalf…no surprises! We live next to a river and I think it’s a dipper! It got me because we do have housemartins right where these two were roosting and they look so similar when puffed up and from the front with white bib.
The penny dropped when I saw one today flying at low level over the water and then go in for a dip. I took a pic.. Oh well, no fame and glory for me having discovered weird overwintering housemartins….
Bad photo attached
Attachments
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Well done ChesterH, a good detective always gets his/ her suspect!
wheatearlp
Well-known member
Just need some pics.from the OP to see what they were seeing...
dantheman
Bah humbug
... my guess would have been on House Sparrow initially. But then Pied Wagtail. Probably just a couple more Dippers ... ;-)
They disappeared for a few weeks there over January but are now back patrolling below the house Martin nests.
moose1991
Alces alces
That is a Pied wagtail
Hi again Mightydev
He sees the bird in the mirror as a rival, so possibly the best thing to do would be to try to cover the mirrors (or turn them in if you are able to do that). This behaviour will last for a few weeks, as he must protect his bride from the attentions of another guy.
He sees the bird in the mirror as a rival, so possibly the best thing to do would be to try to cover the mirrors (or turn them in if you are able to do that). This behaviour will last for a few weeks, as he must protect his bride from the attentions of another guy.