Something in my loft?!

mookybargirl

We woke up this morning to a sort of tapping noise. It sounds like there's something in the loft lightly moving around but more noticeably making a tapping noise. OH has now gone to work and didn't have time to check it out (and I'm not going up there), but has anyone had this? Is it a bird? Do birds tap?

shandypants5

yep, we had birds in the loft a few years ago.

Lots of scratching and tapping going on.

mookybargirl

Thanks Shandy - so how do you best handle it? I'd love to just leave them up there to nest but there's no way we could sleep through the tapping and it's only been since this morning, so I can't imagine they've been up there long.........how do we move them along?

linni

We once a mouse (or mice) in the loft, we think it got up there from something we had in the garden that was put in the loft. It was so annoying because every time we moved or spoke it stopped so hubby thought I was imagining it!

maninthestreet

Can you see any birds entering/leaving the loft, if you take a look from outside your house?
If they are nesting birds, they'll be coming and going very frequently.

mookybargirl

Nothing has gone into the loft in 9 months or more, so hoping mice shouldn't be the problem (god, I hope not). The noise only started this morning, so I'll keep a look out for birds coming and going before OH gets home later. How on earth do you get a bird out of the loft?

shandypants5

We could see where ours were getting in and out, so we waited till they were out and sealed up the hole.

We then spent the rest of the day/night listening carefully incase we had shut one in, but it stayed quiet so I guess they didnt get back in.

Sami_Bee

We've had mice in the loft and we've never put anything in there, they are very good at climbing you know :cool: we laid loads of traps but it seems the neighbourhood cat managed to sort them out for us when they were out and about.
My in-laws have also had squirrels in their walls so it really could be anything - ooh the excitement of finding out!

just remember that some British birds (and bats it could be bats!) are protected and you'll have to wait for them to leave of their own choice.

cajef

It is illegal to remove nests or block access to them by parent birds, if it is birds in the roof you should leave them till the young have fledged and left the nest then you can block the entrances to prevent them returning.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/law/whatsintheroof/thelaw.asp

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/law/whatsintheroof/removal.asp

GavB79

Open all of your first floor windows, then open your loft hatch and run away. Hide downstairs until bird has flown out of hatch and through open window. Close windows/hatch. This is tried and tested and I can vouch for its efficacy.