Nestbox inspection

[Elizabeth Bigg]

We started monitoring one of our nestboxes yesterday, because we had seen a bluetit going in to check it out. Here are two of the 60 pictures taken - last year when the chicks were being fed by both parents there were six to eight thousand pictures per day.

[pduxon]

Why the "stuff" in the box Elizabeth, did the Bluey bring it in?

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Why the "stuff" in the box Elizabeth, did the Bluey bring it in?

I think it must have, because the box was quite clean when it was put back. We'd taken a break from monitoring, because there had been no activity for a week or two, but I think we'll be back to the daily routine now.

[pduxon]

I think it must have, because the box was quite clean when it was put back. We'd taken a break from monitoring, because there had been no activity for a week or two, but I think we'll be back to the daily routine now.

Yes I knew the box had been cleaned. First sign of Spring perhaps?

[Elizabeth Bigg]

I'm not sure about this - certainly two of our robins are getting pally now. I've looked back at the box records for previous years - last year the first bits of stuff were seen on 9th Feb. The records for 2001 and 2002 show 26th Feb and 9th March, but in those years the boxes were installed much later.

[alcedo.atthis]

At present, the Great Tits are roosting in the Blue Tit boxes, the Blue Tits roost in the House Martins, the Sparrows are roosting in the Robins, and the Robin and Blackbirds just use the Leyllandi.
Moving house to the extreme!!


Malky @ Westhill

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Should be interesting when the breeding season gets going! :eek!:

[pduxon]

Surely the idea of a Blue Tit box is a Great Tit can't fit in it!

[alcedo.atthis]

The second one pushes the first one in. The first one then pulls in the second one. It's that easy.
Sometimes they go in upside down.
Arse over tit!!

Malky @ Westhill

[Euan Buchan]

Hopefully The Great Tit family will move into the Nestbox this year We have still left the nest in as it was 2 neat to get destroyed so that will help them loved watching them go in and out

[Elizabeth Bigg]

Hopefully The Great Tit family will move into the Nestbox this year We have still left the nest in as it was 2 neat to get destroyed so that will help them loved watching them go in and out

Euan - the advice usually given is that nestboxes should always be emptied and cleaned out. When we have cleaned out ours, there have been numerous little creatures hiding among the "bedding". If you go to our website, and look at the Jan 1 page of 2003, you will see the advice given by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.

[seb_seb]

Euan, clean it out!! As much for their sakes as yours- they probably wont even use it?
Just to say ive had a great tit spending a lot time inspecting a never-used nestbox recently, and the blue tits appeared to have chosen a favourite!!:)