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Message: <blockquote data-quote="scodger" data-source="post: 1482551" data-attributes="member: 26414">HiKeep up the good work. Cold wet weather is the worse thing when the chicks hatch, it makes it hard for the adults to collect enough insects but they may be OK, time will tell. Some people feed through the summer, they will take the usual seed mix, seem to particularly like red and white millet and also fat balls. I know one lady who has a nestbox six feet from a fatball and the adults just whip between the two, feeding the chicks! I dont know how good this is for the chicks in the long run but providing some in cold wet periods may help, and providing some of the insect content food will also helpNow you've got a pair established a few more boxes could set you up with a small colony. Garden colonies are on the increase, usually starting with birds coming to feeders in the winter, they roost in the boxes and then breed. Put a few more boxes up this summer before the late autumn and you may find you have two or three pairs next year. We are featuring nest box siting in our next Newsletter and you'll be interested to see how varied and adaptable this species is. One guy has a terrace of six, currently all occupied, more details in our next Newsletter at<a href="http://www.treesparrows.com" target="_blank">http://www.treesparrows.com</a>Good luck, David</blockquote>