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Robins nesting in kettle (1 Viewer)

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wildliferon

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Haveing made nestboxes for years I never have much success with robin boxes.This year I put a old kettle in the hedge in my back garden and they have built a nest in it.No eggs yet but hopefully soon.
 
Is the kettle one with a big lid in the middle or a wide spout (whistling kettle type?)
Years ago I put a whistling kettle in my overgrown hawthorns. I don't think it's ever been used.
 
Hi wildliferon

That's a damn good idea - so simple, and in thinking, it's one that many people will have grown up with - Robins nesting in the oddest of places! Brilliant.

I too have put up an open fronted box for them, and in this second year, they have started to use it. Friday though the bloke next door decided to up-root his 15ft high well-established conifers! My Robins are in the far back corner of my garden, facing his conifers, aptly up-rooted by an all day used big mechanical digger. Kept an eye out for them over the weekend, and although they are still ioccassionally in the garden area, they have been nowhere near the box since!

Hopefully though, Sunday afternoon, I saw a pair of House Sparrows take a good long look at this ready built nest. Who knows?

Regards,
 
Thats good news, fingers crossed for your first clutch off eggs. We have had a open front box used for the last 2 years.
 
Hi,could you give me an idea of how/where you position your nestbox as mine is being totaly ignored by our robins and i am not sure i have put it in the right place!!Thanks
 
The robins in the kettle today laid their first egg.No sign of the robins but they wont be far away.Tomorrow I will try and take photo and post it here for you to see.
 
I have, over more years than I care to remember, provided nest boxes of various sorts, most of which have been ignored. I have had birds make nests NEXT to my boxes (how hurtful is that?)
 
tracy said:
Hi,could you give me an idea of how/where you position your nestbox as mine is being totaly ignored by our robins and i am not sure i have put it in the right place!!Thanks
Click to expand...

All I have done is to push the kettle into a hedge which is thick with ivy. I have aranged the ivy around the kettle.The spout of the kettle is pointing downward.I will try and get a photo on here tommorrow
 
I have, over more years than I care to remember, provided nest boxes of various sorts, most of which have been ignored. I have had birds make nests NEXT to my boxes (how hurtful is that?)
Click to expand...

The most important bit is trying to help them, If they don't take up the offer then I'll be be happy for them it must mean their not doing to badly. :h?:
 
Hi Tracey

Not sure if you wanted details of my open fronted nest box or not, but if anyone does, then here goes.

It's just a plain rectangular shaped box, as in the RSPB and BTO type design, made from 6mm outdoor plywood, with a slightly forward sloping roof. It is attached to green plastic coated garden standard "chicken wire", which is wrapped round and fastened to an un-used old fashioned concrete washing line post.

The box is around 5ft 6ins off the ground, facing east, and is surrounded by I think Russian Ivy (sorry, I'm no gardener) which is bare in winter, and only now just really starting to show new leaf growth.

Approx 3ft from the front of the box is a 6ft high mixed hedge of predimonantly privet, but also containing holly, beech, and box privet(?). This hedge seems to be a good thing for the birds. They pop into it after gathering material etc, sit in the hedge for we few seconds, then dive straight into the box. I was hoping that it would be good for fledgelings too - straight out of the box with a short 3ft maiden flight, and straight into cover.

Ah well, I can live in hope.

Hope this if some use to you.

Regards,
 
tracy said:
Hi,could you give me an idea of how/where you position your nestbox as mine is being totaly ignored by our robins and i am not sure i have put it in the right place!!Thanks
Click to expand...
Here is a picture of a robins nest in a kettle.
 

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Great news, it is strange seeing this as I was just reading a book today that recommended putting a teapot out for Robins to nest in.
 
Years ago there was a house in Oldfield Park in Bath with a dead tree in the garden. The owner hung a large variety of kettles in it as a joke (it certainly got his neighbours wound up). He had quite a few birds nesting by the end of the summer, including robins and, of course, Blue Tits.

Blue Tits will nest anywhere: last summer a pair nested in the box which visitors to our office are supposed to stub their cigarettes out on !
 
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I have also put up a robin nesting shelf wich has been ignored two but I have goten an Idea wich will maybe work. Put your nest boxes in deep cover or take fake plastic plants and cover your boxes with them or shelfs. I think this might work
 
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