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Is it too late to move the box? (1 Viewer)

Ryelle

Member
Hi all,
I made three nest boxes a couple of weeks ago. I managed to get two out of the three hung but didn't get the third hung and had left it on the edge of the garden table. Typically, a pair of Great Tits have shown interest and are now busy taking nesting material in to the box on the table! I am worried this isn't going to be the safest place for them.

So, my question is: is it too late to move the box and attach it to the wall near where it currently is? Will they give up on the box if I move it now?

They haven't laid yet. I saw one of them in the garden yesterday but noticed they were taking nesting material in this morning so not sure how long they have been building.
 
Hi Ryelle and a warm welcome to you from all the Staff and Moderators.

Birds confound us all the time, don't they LOL

Is it possible for you to gradually move it closer to the wall, before finally positioning it. They may accept it ths way.

However, birds are constantly starting and abandoning nests, and their is time for them to start again.

I'm sure other members will have some thoughts for you too.

I hope you enjoy your time here with us.
 
Thanks for the reply and the warm welcome :)

Yes I could move the table closer to the wall gradually. I'll put a bracket up ready to put the box straight on so I don't have to mess about with it too much. A blue tit was inspecting one of the hung boxes earlier but they are currently quite close so the Great Tit chased him/her off (along with a sparrow that showed interest in their box).

This is the first time I've ever put nest boxes up so I'm really excited that they are showing interest so quickly. We had a female blackbird nesting in our previous garden but it was in a poor site (guttering on our out-house roof that got flooded when we had bad weather - it was quite late in the year) so she unforuntately abandoned it before the eggs hatched.
 
I'd also think about moving the height too, perhaps putting it on a box of some kind, so that it'll be nearer to the final height on the wall.

How you are doing with it Ryelle?
 
Thanks again for the replies.

So they were back nesting yesterday afternoon after I'd slid the table over about a foot to a raised section we have. I had to wait until today for my other half to help me move it further though. The tits were back this morning bringing in a lot of nesting material.
We waited till they did what they were doing and went off for food until we moved it a bit further. Its probably been moved about 3 foot so far. We've just come back from shopping and the female was just leaving the box when I looked out so I will shift it over a bit more and then try and raise it later when they are having another break. I have a large plastic tote thing on the table next to the bird box that I can stand on one end for some added height. It's been next to the box the whole time so it won't be anything new to them.

I checked in the box this morning after they'd gone off and there's quite a bit in there compared to what they finished on yesterday so It's a bit of a race against time I think. Hopefully if they keep coming back after their breaks and are still happy to go to it we might be able to move it tomorrow evening or Monday lunch time.
They are a beautiful pair, the male is particularly handsome, so I'm hoping they will hang around and not give up on us. There is a cat that has been sat near my feeder at the opposite end of the garden (large garden) trying to catch the field mouse that lives nearby and feeds on the fallen seeds and fat ball crumbs so I am still definitely worried about the birds safety. I am hoping the presence of our dog will keep the cat at bay during the day but it's the nights that are a worry (and I hope it leaves my poor mouse alone!!)
 
Just a heads up Ryelle - great tits seem a bit more sensitive to disturbance when using nest boxes. Our blue tits are pretty much bomb proof but great tits seem more prone to abandoning if they're disturbed too often. I would err on the side of caution and not check the progress of nest building anymore it's a great temptation but it would be so disappointing if they gave up.

Good luck with moving the box :t:
 
The move is going really well. I only go out when I am 100% sure that they have finished their nesting and gone off for whatever they go off for. She is taking lots of dog hair off the line today so I'm sure she is nearly finished. The box is at a height now and close to the final position so hoping I can get it on the wall this afternoon. I've had to sit and watch them through the blinds so I don't disturb them whilst they are getting used to the box move. It does make for great photo's though...

(first two female, second two male)
 

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Great pictures you've got there Ryelle.

Fingers are crossed the final part goes well!
 
It's on the wall.. Just waiting to see if they will come back in the morning (I'll be up at the crack of dawn to watch before work). She's taken a lot of fur/animal hair in there today so we will have to see
 
Very well done Ryelle! Whatever happens you've done your best to recover the situation.

Have they been to the box since you hung it on the wall?
 
My Great Tit has managed to move the camera a little bit in my Camera Nestbox going to try and sort it while she flies off she can be quite a while to come back.
 
I didn't see them this morning but I thought I heard the male calling. The male has just been down and calling loudly but I didn't see the female. He kept flying to the box and looking in, coming down and calling, so I don't know if she is in the box or where she is. He did this the other day when the box was on the table - called loudly when she was inside and looked in the box so I don't know what to think. I didn't see if they both flew away due to it being toddler bed time.

If they had given up on the nest would she have given up on the male too? Has it ever happened where one has given up but not the other?

I am full of worry for my little garden bird. I hope she is safe.
 
Euan have you got eggs yet or are they still nesting? I find these two go for a few hours and then come back

At the moment she has 4 eggs she's been pretty much been in the box today. I named her Bea because a Bumblebee kept flying in but has since not returned.
 
At the moment she has 4 eggs she's been pretty much been in the box today. I named her Bea because a Bumblebee kept flying in but has since not returned.

That is lovely! If they are both here tomorrow I will have to give them names. It's funny how you can bond (even if it is one sided) with wildlife isn't it.

My husband thinks I'm nuts - I made him wait for his tea tonight so I could sit watching for the birds to see if I could see them both haha. I've told him I want a camera next year!
 
I heard the male calling early this morning when I was in bed. Haven't seen either of them but I've noticed there is a new hair /fur around the entrance that wasn't there yesterday.
 
*sigh*
So they have been using the box for a few days but we had really rubbish weather yesterday so I didn't see them at all. This evening they have been in the garden - the female to frantically collect dog hair and fly off with it in the same direction each time, and the male to look in the nest boxes in the garden. I think after all the effort she put in, she has decided to give up on it at the last minute.
 
My husband thinks I'm nuts - I made him wait for his tea tonight so I could sit watching for the birds to see if I could see them both haha. I've told him I want a camera next year!

Huh! He's nuts - doesn't he realise how important birding is?

Good to see things the other way around - usually its birders wives that think their better half is nuts...:-O
 
Oh well!!! Sorry to hear that Ryelle. It's not too late for something else to take up residency though.

At least you tried.
 
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