Blue Tits nesting box site

Hi thanks for replying the opening is pointing north at the moment.

Hi Alan

Thanks you for the helpfull hints I will try to make a clear path in the box and see what happens.let you know if I'm lucky Jenny

I have had a nesting box up for about 6 years and never seen any activity.  So you can imagine my excitement that for the last week I have had a blue tit visiting the box many times during the day and also going inside.  It has been joined by another a few times and seen one go in the box whilst the other is still in there, one soon comes out again then though so not sure if they are a pair or both looking for nesting places.  The entrance on mine faces north.  There should be a little perch under the hole but it isn't there anymore, I was going to pop a stick in there but do you think better left alone now because of interest?  And does it seem that I may at last have some bt's nesting this year?  Haven't seen any nesting materials being taken to the box though.  Just adore watching the birds!  Jennie :)

Jennie F, I think that I would personally leave the box as it is. Putting a perch at the hole may encourage other birds to perch there in an attempt to raid the nest. Seeing a pair of birds go in and out your nestbox does seem to be a good sign though.

Jenny M, there's nothing I can really add beyond what Alan has advised. I hope you have better luck this year. I have a box on the side of the house that had a nest in it the first year I put it up but I've have had no more nests for the past two years . As Alan says, it's very difficult to know why this would be.

Paul

We have a nesting box which has been resided in most years (it faces north). Which brings me to my question. Having had the joy of seeing the fledglings first flights, we have also had the heartbreak of them being taken by magpies. Is their anything that can be done that would deter magpies but not upset the rest of the bird population which include wood pigeons, sparrows, blackbirds and robins.