Berberis darwinii - neglected

@martin-f , they are mansions.
Photo of 2 new House Martin nests at the front door, oh boy the mess but what the hell. Only real snag is the droppings from the nest on the left, land on the door bell buzzer. Postie etc have to chap the letterbox instead of pressing the bell between now and September,

 

Thank you silu, there not as big as they look i worked from this photo, nest roughly a brick and a half,



There only to try and attract them, the other day a few birds was looking under the eaves, if the fake nest would have been up it could have encouraged them to nest, maybe another year they will come and look again,

I have a jet wash if the ever decide to take up residence

 

It`s always a bit emotional when they are released.....they arrived in their travel cages,
We took them out to the centre of the site, and opened the lids... Melvin the Mistle thrush opened his beak as if he was about to have a meal, and then looked around.... saw freedom, and flew strongly to the highest tree he could find.
''The Twins'' (greenfinches) sat and looked for a moment, and disappeared into the nearby hedge.

We wish them well....

 

Interesting read peeps. I have a Berberis Dawrinii which is totally overgrown and in an awful mess. A month or so ago I cut some three feet off a different berberis (there were no nests) and it has already recovered and is looking great. The Darwinii will have to her the same sort of treatment. Such a pity that I didn't do this a little each year but there has always been so much more to attend to