Mud on the door

Mud on the door, mud on the screen, mud on the steps and mud above the door is a big disgrace!
Barn swallows have been trying to build a nest above my front door for the last week and a half.  Last week hubby and I hung strips of fabric thinking that would deter them, no such luck they just flew in underneath, then I cut the loops so they were longer still they fly under and up.  I have knocked the mud down 4 or 5 times a day.  They are persistent little birds.  One day it was just the pair trying to build the nest the next day they enlisted three more birds to help.  Fortunately for me the construction crew wanted to see progress on their efforts and I was a hindrance so they flew off the job.  The pair is still trying.  I finally consulted google because they have an answer for everything. 1. Keep knocking the mud down and they should give up after 3 weeks.  Three Weeks!!!! 2. Let them have their nest they do eat lots of bugs.  3. Clean up the mess and put petroleum gel where they are building,  really?  like I want a grease spot above the door that will eventually be covered with bugs.  4.  Buy a bunch of stuff not that different from what I hung on the porch.  5. Hang a plastic owl on the porch.  6.  Keep knocking it down only a week and a half to go.
He couldn't curse me because he had a beak full of mud but I knew what he was thinking.    They are really quite ingenious to build a nest out of mud and grass hauling the mud from the storm pond a couple blocks away and to only be able to bring about a 1/2 teaspoon on mud each trip and to make it stick to the siding.  We have way too much mud this year.  Where did they build their nests before the homesteaders came to the prairie?  The battle continues..............--Ann--