House martins and plastic facia boards

[pcolbeck]

We get house martins (sometimes one pair sometimes several) nesting under our eaves. All the barge boarding etc is rotten and as part of our extension work it's all being replaced with plastic. Does anyone know if they can still build their nests when you do this ? I am not sure if the nest is clinging to the stone wall or it also clings to the eaves. If they need a bit of help I might screw a few battens to the wall before next spring  to make a few ledges that should help support the nests.

[David Martin]

We get house martins (sometimes one pair sometimes several) nesting under our eaves. All the barge boarding etc is rotten and as part of our extension work it's all being replaced with plastic. Does anyone know if they can still build their nests when you do this ? I am not sure if the nest is clinging to the stone wall or it also clings to the eaves. If they need a bit of help I might screw a few battens to the wall before next spring  to make a few ledges that should help support the nests.

You may have to wait until they have fledged before having the work completed. Don't know whether they cope with plastic.

We have swifts in our eaves.

[CountrySickness]

Swifts? I am very jealous indeed. 

As for house martins they do prefer grippier material (such as over several of our vents) but the simplest solution for you and the birdies might be to install artificial house martin nest boxes

[pcolbeck]

The wall is very grippy as it's rough limestone it's just the overhang that will be plastic.