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Talkback: Building bird boxes

donutsmrsdonutsmrs Posts: 487
in Talkback
What a brilliant idea for Christmas presents Kate. I've got two blue tit boxes up in my garden one didn't have any birds in it this year as it wasn't up very long but the other one has had several blue tit families in there over the years. I love to watch them flying in and out feeding their young. Poor things they work so hard.

Posts

  • flowering roseflowering rose Posts: 1,632

    Yes ,its lovely to encourage birds to nest in the garden,I have put up a few , but no result ,I don't know why,so I am hoping maybe next year.image

  • Crown BeesCrown Bees Posts: 1
    I similar and vital concept is to build mason bee houses. ...preferably not next door to the bird house. Native, solitary gentle bees will easily nest and pollinate your vital fruits and vegetables! (Read more at http://www.crownbees.com)
  • oldchippyoldchippy Posts: 244
    Happy Christmas Kate and all at Gardeners World
  • andyh147andyh147 Posts: 5
    Great idea and I hope they are all up. I have seen increased activity from the blue and great tits in the garden starting to seek out potential sites for nesting. They need to be up now so the birds can get used to them. Suggest people use the RSPB site on positioning of birdboxes.
  • Peter ArmerPeter Armer Posts: 1
    I have just built a bird box and wonder if I need to add bedding before I fasten to a tree? An anyone advise me please? If the answer is yes, what type of bedding is best?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,109

    No, the birds will sort the bedding out - but what I do is rake some thatch and moss out of the lawn, put it in a wire netting 'ball', or just in a piece of garden netting, and tie it to the fence - the birds come and help themselves.  If you have access to some sheep's fleece (gleaned from hedgrows, not from the sheep's back image) or combings from the coat of a long-haired dog or cat, you can do the same with thatimage

     

    It's a little bit late to put bird boxes up - the best time is early winter so they can suss each one out - but you may be lucky - it often takes a couple of years for birds to use a new box.

    Fix it just above human head height in a sheltered position where midday sun won't overheat the box, and where there's a clear flight path to the opening.  Oh, and out of the reach of cats!


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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