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We have over 40 nest boxes that are looked after by Peter Maiden and John Price. Each autumn they visit each one and record how it has been used. Here are the results for 2015.
Nest Box Summary 2015
Total small bird boxes for use by Blue Tits, Great Tits Coal Tits and Nuthatch = 44
Total no used = 40
Failures i.e. no nest or very sparse nesting material = 4
Of the 40 used boxes 5 had unhatched eggs or dead chicks and obviously something had happened to one or both parents to force the abandonment of the nest.
All the boxes have been emptied and cleaned and the birds will now use these boxes as safe winter roost sites -
Our balance of 5 boxes (2 tawny Owl, 1 kestrel and 2 woodpeckers) have been used or damaged by squirrels. There is no evidence that any of the aforementioned birds have used the boxes. In an attempt to stop squirrels gnawing their way into the woodpecker boxes John Price is attaching a stainless steel plate with the correct diameter hole to
the front of the boxes. This should deter the squirrels but may also deter the woodpeckers but it is worth a try. Tawny Owls have been heard in the Woodland and kestrels have been noticed on the by-pass. It is thought that if they wanted to take up residence they would be more than a match for a squirrel especially the larger Tawny Owl that can be very aggressive.
On the subject of larger birds, buzzards are seen on and above the woodland daily. It must only be a matter of time before a pair of these magnificent birds takes up residence. The favoured site is an old crow’s nest at the top of a tree.
To conclude, the success of our nest boxes is down to the excellent habitat we have created and also to the team of volunteers that keep the bird feeders topped up.
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