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Putting up blue tit nestbox on house wall

RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 260
edited May 2023 in Problem solving
Hello. I want to (hopefully) put a nest box on the back wall, but am not 100% sure if the location is suitable. Here's some detailed info of the area.

* The location would only get the early morning sun, maximum two hours. Shade for the rest of the day.
* The wind would hit it on its side, as would the rain if its wind +rain. 
* The ideal spot would be approx 4-6 feet from bedroom window. Could they be heard when in bed?
* There is a pond nearby. Would the sound of the water return pipe be an issue?
* It would be approx 8-10 feet from the ground where there would be small activity. Part of me thinks this won't be an issue as I recently saw an occupied bluetit nest box in a national trust place in the plant shopping area!
* I get sparrows, great tits, and blue tits. Would getting a 28mm hole be okay? Or would it put off blue tits (which seem to be the slightly greater number)

Posts

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited May 2023
    Mine is in a similar postion and has very active parent blue tits feeding the babes.  But tits make at least two nest a year, so still time.  I have a camellia bush adjacent but they don't seem to use that.  It could also hide the "staring eyes".  They do like a perch nearby to wait their turn.

    I f you have ever seen fledgling tits emerging they just fall the the ground and bounce.  I don't know how soon the first flight is after that.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    The location sounds fine but you are too late for this year. 

    @Bede: Blue tits have only one brood per year.  They will only attempt a second if their nesting attempts have failed early on but it is not usual.  
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    I can't recall where I found it, RubyLeaf , but there are separate sites, with measurements, for nest boxes.  I think the general advice is for the box to point to the east or north, presumably to avoid overheating in summer sun, and the size of the hole can govern the most likely species to use it.  This is down to just a few mm.  As well as the normal predators, I'm afraid starlings will insert their long beaks to grab nestlings.  Boxes are easy to knock up from spare pallet wood once you've made a few to get used to it.
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