I have just watched an interesting programme on b.b.c.2 about nesting birds ( and ducks).
Here is a link to nest box challenge here
Sounds good.
Micky
Here is a link to nest box challenge here
Sounds good.
Micky
0 Kudo
Do you have nest boxes in your garden?
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 Kingfisher II |
Do you have nest boxes in your garden? |
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Posts: 5293 12/02/2007 21:33:36 Board Owner |
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paul4barbus |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #1 | ||
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Posts: 355 12/02/2007 23:48:22 ex-admin
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I have had blue tit nest boxes for 20 years and only once have I had any nesting, that was last year just before my new neighbours demolished my fence prompting my garden rebuild
 Why don't they like my garden to live in, perhaps it's because I have so many feeders? paul4 ps. I have made different nest boxes from different materials, and have mounted them on east, west and north facing fences; high and low. |
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albert watkinson |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #2 | ||
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Posts: 161 13/02/2007 17:24:00 |
hi paul,cats as we all know can deter birds from nesting in the garden.placing the box out of reach is one way.for years i have been making boxes and giving them to friends and they have been well used.i paid 40 for 2 of the woodcrete ones and have been in the garden yrs and no birds nesting in them.the little beggars roost in them over winter though.i paint my home made boxes green and they always produce.if you leave 5mm round the entrance free of paint the bird will not mouth the paint when marking the box.the satellite dish is pointing 19 degrees east of south and one box i have is back to back with it so to speak.this box produces most seasons.it is a starting point but you have to jiggle it abit.it is very frustrating.
albert |
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Roy Young |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #3 | ||
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Posts: 1414 14/02/2007 09:43:27 Moderator |
Got given a bird box a couple of Christmas's ago. Put it up in the spring in and a pair of blue tits succesfully reared their young. It was fantastic. My youngest daughter was at home the day they fledged. She said they all left the nest OK.
Nothing happened last year. I'm going to give it a clean out this weekend. Hopefully. it will get used again. |
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mullet72 |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #4 | ||
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Posts: 81 15/02/2007 14:10:49 |
I had a rather tatty wren nest box in the garden the year I moved in to my flat. That spring it was successfully used by a family of them. When the new neighbours moved in and cleared their garden of brambles and nettles we didn't see them again.
The following year I spotted Great Tits checking it out but none nested. I thought that maybe they'd discounted it due to size, so I replaced it with a new larger one. I also moved the wren one to a more secluded corner of the garden. I also have a House Sparrow terrace that I put up the winter before this. I have never seen any birds of any species checking out any of these boxes since. Hopefully this spring will see them getting a bit more activity. I may try putting out some mealworms this spring in order to attract more parent birds to the garden. Cheers Mullet |
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Kingfisher II |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #5 | ||
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Posts: 5293 15/02/2007 16:40:40 Board Owner |
I have a nesting box which the blue tits used two years running but has been unused for the last two years.
The birds seem to check it out but choose other detached properties in neighbouring gardens. I think I will put another one up in a different corner of the garden to give them more choice. Micky |
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Unregistered(d) |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #6 | ||
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Posts: 0 20/02/2007 20:07:19 |
my daughter made a blue tit nest box 3 years ago and it was occupied by a pair straight away,and the year after also,but last year it went unused.I think the recent squirrel poulation have scared them off a bit as well as magpies.I am hoping to put a nest box hidden in the garden wall that might attract robins with any luck. Have had Wrens nesting in the garden as well
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Kingfisher II |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #7 | ||
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Posts: 5293 21/02/2007 13:34:45 Board Owner |
I have just bought a Robins nest box from Homebase for 4-99, Its made by Gardman and built to B.T.O. guidelines.
I was going to make my own but for that money it isn't worth it. I have screwed it to a fence post about ten foot away from where my resident Robin was perched a minute earlier. Just need to keep an eye on the Magpies now.  Micky |
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paul4barbus |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #8 | ||
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Posts: 355 21/02/2007 17:32:24 ex-admin
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If your Robin is resident already, who's the new box for?
 Stupid boy, Robins fight for territory. paul4 ps. Excuse my avatar, had my 'other site' admin hat on earlier, and forgot to change it. |
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lobworm57 |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #9 | ||
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Posts: 144 26/02/2007 20:50:22 |
Had a pair of bluetits investigating the nestbox today, they looked serious about it or have they heard how bad the weathers gonna be tomorrow(Wet and windy).
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Roy Young |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #10 | ||
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Posts: 1414 01/03/2007 17:00:51 Moderator |
I was looking on the Internet for info on cleaning out nest boxes.
I found this link Just thinking about nest boxes not being used. One section says "Do not place any nestbox close to a bird-table or feeding area, as the regular comings and goings of many other birds are likely to prevent breeding in the box." Roy |
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paul4barbus |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #11 | ||
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Posts: 355 01/03/2007 20:21:22 ex-admin
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That may explain it Roy, my garden ain't big enough to site a nest box away from the feeders or table.
So I guess it's feeding birds rather than nesting ones. paul4 |
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lobworm57 |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #12 | ||
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Posts: 144 02/03/2007 17:42:32 |
Saw my pair of Blackbirds with nesting material this morning going into the conifers, looks like they are doing the same thing as every year. They will insist on building where the squirrels can get at them,the eggs get taken,nest gets wrecked and then they build in the Pyracantha and then succeed in bringing up their family. I'm going to try and get a photo to put in the spring photo competition, but don't hold your breath.
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albert watkinson |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #13 | ||
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Posts: 161 03/03/2007 15:07:36 |
one bloke near here waits till the birds nest and then starts to chop down.misery guts.
albert |
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Kingfisher II |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #14 | ||
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Posts: 5293 11/03/2007 08:59:34 Board Owner |
I saw a Robin in my back garden as I was having breakfast this morning with nesting material in its beak.
 It flew to within two feet of my brand new nesting box. A smile came on my face and a slight tear blurred my left eye. Then it took off again and flew into my neighbours garden. I have tears in both my eyes now.  Anyone got a spare hankie? Micky |
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Kingfisher II |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #15 | ||
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Posts: 5293 13/03/2007 12:07:17 Board Owner |
Its a beautiful morning for a spot of gardening and I noticed plenty of moss in my lawn after the wet winter.
I have raked several areas and left three piles of moss for the nesting birds. I will keep a look out to see what birds will be taking my free offerings. Its one of those great to be alive mornings ,except I have to go to work in about an hour. Micky . |
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Roy Young |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #16 | ||
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Posts: 1414 17/03/2007 16:22:02 Moderator |
Thought I'd clean the nest box out today. There's been a couple of blue tits showing interest. I took it down, removed the front and it was actually quite clean.
Anyway, I re-fitted the front and while I was up the ladder nailing the box to the tree, this little blue tit started chirping at me getting closer and closer as if to say "Hurry Up, I want to move in". So the bird box is now back on the tree, just waiting for its new owners. I just hope they take up residence. Roy |
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Roy Young |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #17 | ||
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Posts: 1414 26/03/2007 10:18:04 Moderator |
Blue tit very busy around the nest box this morning. Didn't get a chance to observe over the weekend to see if it's collecting nesting material.
Roy |
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Roy Young |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #18 | ||
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Posts: 1414 01/04/2007 09:38:53 Moderator |
The blue tits have been very busy collecting nesting material and there have been plenty of comings and goings this last week when I've looked out before going to work each morning.
Yesterday (Saturday), some serious courtship displays were going on going on with one of the birds (the male I assume), lifting up his tale and fluttering his wings. Lots of chirping going on. Roy |
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Roy Young |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #19 | ||
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Posts: 1414 23/04/2007 13:32:22 Moderator |
Did quite a lot of work in the garden this weekend, so I could see the comings and goings of the blue tits in the nest box. No sounds of any chicks yet. I hope eggs have been laid and theyre being incubated.
Roy |
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paul4barbus |
Re: Do you have nest boxes in your garden? | #20 | ||
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Posts: 355 23/04/2007 14:59:14 ex-admin
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I re-sited one on my nest boxes and .....................
bugger all paul4 |
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