[nai]

Jack Ibbertson 9 (son of James) did Raindogs on Thursday. His brother Josh did it last year aged 10.

Very good but what's the deal with Martin nests at Malham? I avoided Raindogs on Thursday due to the nest on it, there were adult birds going back and forth to it most of the day.

[shark]

Jack Ibbertson 9 (son of James) did Raindogs on Thursday. His brother Josh did it last year aged 10.

Very good but what's the deal with Martin nests at Malham? I avoided Raindogs on Thursday due to the nest on it, there were adult birds going back and forth to it most of the day.

Everyone else seems happy to go on it. Climbers don't seem to be putting them off despite regular traffic on the route. Nest is over to the side so wont get damaged.

[nai]

If it's not putting them off fair enough but being right above a foothold and with the draw right in front of it it's hardly off to the side, I could envisage it being kicked off falling from the top.

[shark]

Pete Dickinson has reported on Facebook..

Just to let folk know that the migrating house martins have built a nest just to the left of the last clip, before the lower off, on raindogs. It's built on the rock face and looks pretty fragile.

Not been up there myself but sounds like greater care needed than I assumed before (sorry nai)

[a dense loner]

Why are you apologising to nai? He seems to be the only person not getting on the route! Looks like no one else cares.

[nai]

Not just me, there's at least two others who think it's wrong to try it with the nest in place.

[Wood FT]

Not just me, there's at least two others who think it's wrong to try it with the nest in place.

good on you and them Nai

[a dense loner]

Yep good man, and the others doing the same.  :beer2:Nothing pisses me off more than these people that tell you how to behave then don't do it themselves and justify their actions by saying this is different. Strangely was actually thinking of going longridge today but realised it was outside and got scared.

[tomtom]

Yep good man, and the others doing the same.  :beer2:Nothing pisses me off more than these people that tell you how to behave then don't do it themselves and justify their actions by saying this is different. Strangely was actually thinking of going longridge today but realised my motorbike was being fixed.

[a dense loner]

Motorbike?

[Bonjoy]

I do think there is a thing at Malham where people justify climbing next to these nests because they see others doing it and assume the bird aren't bothered so long as they're still using the nests, which seems a bit like the guy who's fallen out of the skyscraper saying "so far, so good" as he falls past each floor. I know I used to do this when I regularly climbed at these crags (now I don't I can pontificate from this high-horse on the sidelines). It's only proved wrong when it's too late, at which point everyone's happy because they can forget about it and get on with the route guilt-free, because obviously it was something, or someone else that caused the nest failure.
House Martins used to be loads commoner at M and K a 15/20 years ago - this decline matches the national trend so I'm not suggesting it's related to climber disturbance, I just think this species could do with a little extra consideration while the numbers are in free-fall.
Whether or not the nest succeeds in producing fledged chicks should be the measure of whether the birds are bothered by the climbers, not whether the birds persist in using the nest on a given day.
This is a general comment by the way, not related to the current nest on Raindogs which I haven't seen.

[Davo]

Have the house martins actually started to nest there? If so, personally I think it is bad form to climb Raindogs if it disturbs them.

[SA Chris]

people justify climbing next to these nests because they see others doing it and assume the bird aren't bothered so long as they're still using the nests, which seems a bit like the guy who's fallen out of the skyscraper saying "so far, so good" as he falls past each floor.

or this;

http://news.sky.com/story/1643996/dolphin-dies-being-passed-around-for-selfies

[Paul B]

I do think there is a thing at Malham where people justify climbing next to these nests because they see others doing it and assume the bird aren't bothered so long as they're still using the nests, which seems a bit like the guy who's fallen out of the skyscraper saying "so far, so good" as he falls past each floor. I know I used to do this when I regularly climbed at these crags (now I don't I can pontificate from this high-horse on the sidelines). It's only proved wrong when it's too late, at which point everyone's happy because they can forget about it and get on with the route guilt-free, because obviously it was something, or someone else that caused the nest failure.
House Martins used to be loads commoner at M and K a 15/20 years ago - this decline matches the national trend so I'm not suggesting it's related to climber disturbance, I just think this species could do with a little extra consideration while the numbers are in free-fall.
Whether or not the nest succeeds in producing fledged chicks should be the measure of whether the birds are bothered by the climbers, not whether the birds persist in using the nest on a given day.
This is a general comment by the way, not related to the current nest on Raindogs which I haven't seen.

If for a minute you can remove potential nest damage from the equation, did the birds nest whilst climbing was regularly taking place? If the birds aren't bothered by something that was present when they originally nested then I'm told [by people I trust who are probably more used to large plant operations in the vacinity, professionally], that the ongoing disturbance shouldn't be an issue. If it's possible to kick the nest off whilst climbing or do other damage then it's clearly different.

Bonjoy - you can apply the crowd mentality you described above to many things, wet rock for instance!

There's also a nest at Kilnsey on Directissima; the duck has nested [again]. Most people aware of this are either avoiding the route or traversing way round to the right of the ledge to not bother Mrs. Mallard. However, some are not.

[Bonjoy]

Reminds me of the time I belayed a lad on Directisima and he suddenly jumped off with a shout from near the top of the route, freaked out by a jackdaw hidden in the back of a deep pocket unexpectedly pecking his hand.

[SA Chris]

Not as scary as climbing at a very snaky Waterval Boven and grabbing a flake to feel a gecko wiggling behind your fingers.

[nai]

Remember as a newbie climbing on Tissington Spires and getting the fright of my life when reaching a big horizontal lake and pandemonium breaking loose from inside as a nest of crow-like birds started going mental. I'd never moved so fast on a route previously.

Have the house martins actually started to nest there? If so, personally I think it is bad form to climb Raindogs if it disturbs them.

There were adults very active to and from the nest when I was there last Thursday. The position of the nest means the route couldn't have been climbed without disturbing them

[csl]

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=642429

 Reports of damage to the nests on the other channel. Not sure if this means the raindogs one or not..

[Will Hunt]

There were adults very active to and from the nest when I was there last Thursday. The position of the nest means the route couldn't have been climbed without disturbing them

That sounds like a very simple statement of fact. If that's accurate then there's no excuse for climbing it. Can anybody tie a notice to the first bolt advising climbers accordingly. I imagine it's much harder to climb past a sign telling you that something is definitely not OK than it is to convince yourself that its fine to climb the route.

[Paul B]

Not as scary as climbing at a very snaky Waterval Boven and grabbing a flake to feel a gecko wiggling behind your fingers.

One of the perma-draws on a route in RRG has acted as a base for bees (I think, or something capable of stinging) to build a rather large hive. It was affectionately known as 'the Death Star'. This amused me.

Furstein in Austria - like the above, wildlife on the route scared the cr*p out of me!

[lagerstarfish]

bloody imigrant birds; coming over here and having babies, stealing all the best routes

[ashtond6]

Not as scary as climbing at a very snaky Waterval Boven and grabbing a flake to feel a gecko wiggling behind your fingers.

One of the perma-draws on a route in RRG has acted as a base for bees (I think, or something capable of stinging) to build a rather large hive. It was affectionately known as 'the Death Star'. This amused me.

Furstein in Austria - like the above, wildlife on the route scared the cr*p out of me!

Once whilst ledge shuffling in the USA, my girlfriend of the time was seconding me & took a cam out of a pocket
A tarantula then crawled out 

Afterwards I found that September in Red Rocks is one of the most likely times & places to see them in the world!

[SA Chris]

That sounds like a very simple statement of fact. If that's accurate then there's no excuse for climbing it. Can anybody tie a notice to the first bolt advising climbers accordingly. I imagine it's much harder to climb past a sign telling you that something is definitely not OK than it is to convince yourself that its fine to climb the route.

But, but, but, my son is 8 and will be 9 by the time the chick fledge! It will be a historic ascent if he climbs it!*

*not really he can barely climb the stairs

[shark]

Nest on Overnite too now. Conditions are shit again. Wish they would nest on the Oak

[SA Chris]

Instead of just shit on it like you?