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We would like your help with a bit of market research, and so I would like you all to tell me about the nestboxes in your garden. Any thoughts about nesting boxes would be useful, but we would particularly like to hear about the following:
How long have you had a box in the garden? What sort is it - standard timber box or something fancy? Was it treated (paint or preservative) when you bought it, have you applied a treatment on it later, or is it untreated as nature intended?
If you were to buy a new box now, what would it be like? - would you have a timber box, or look out for other materials? fancy design or one that looks like a nesting box? natural look or coloured? pre-treated or plain timber?
We have three tit boxes one of which has had nests in for two years running and I have just bought a robin box from Aldi and put that in betwen the forsythia bush. We also have a tit nest in the wall of the house where there is a hole into the loft hopefully they will come again this year. All shop bought and not treated. I also had one like a little house with a porch on but after 15years that fell to bits lol. but it was used by the blue tits.
Sue
shop bought
was a tit box but never ever used so cut the top of it hoping for maybe a robin when the ivys grown back
well thats about it i hope this helps your survey
keith
Hi Trochilus (and the rest of you)
How long have i had nest boxes up? I have lived hear ten years and original boxes are still standing and are used every year, Some were treated with good old creosote and still stand but were not used for the first year probably due to smell but once seasoned birds seem happy with them. others erected without treatment only seem to survive about five years before needing repair but this i am happy to do. I have tried several open fronted boxes but not one single occupent yet?, Must be somthing wrong as i have plenty of birds around. Having had Blue tits nesting in an hole in garage wall all the time i have been hear i took to building nest sites from old clay drain pipes thease are also very popular and have not rotted as yet (bottom bunged with wood and removable wooden top) thease also look quite well when fastened to walls etc and have quite a rustic appeal,
As to your last question i think a nest box should fit in with its surroundings so as not too look out of place but then some birds seem to like unusual sites as we often see in the press,Personally i fastened a brown tea pot too the wall of previuos home but never attracted a single robin occupant yet where i now live i have had them in old boots,plant pots and chicken shed so they are obviously not that fussy?
Cleaning them out? never cleaned inside of garage wall nest site but they are there raising young every year why?
Regards Shawry