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I have two Blue Tit boxes in my garden, and Tits have been showing an interest for about a month now, but today I thought I would take a peak to see what was going on. To my surprise, both boxes were completely empty. What is going on??
There are 9000 species of bird on earth. Let's keep it that way.
Hi doggie, they certainly keep you guessing. I built two Starling boxes during the winter, and stuck them together on the back wall of my house. I was really looking forward to the antics of these busy birds, but so far, my resident Starling have not even looked at the boxes yet. (Well I don't think they have)
hi Budgie
Its possible you have the boxes too close to each other therefore not enough territory.
If nothing happens this year remove a box or put it at a fair distance from the other the further the better.
Ray
a good laugh is better than a tonic
Thanks Barnsley lad. You could well be right about the boxes being too close together. When I do get birds exploring the boxes, there always seems to be one chasing them off. Do you think it is too late to move one now?
Hi Budgie
I think I would leave them for this season and see what happens.
I have noticed that blue tits are still exploring both boxes, so maybe I might get lucky. Someone told me today that they had a blue tit box that a GS Woodpecker then took over, making the hole a lot bigger of course. That would be amazing.
I put up a bird box about 4 weeks ago, it is just outside my bedroom window, after about a week, early one morning I heard a tapping noise. I looked out to see a Great Tit on the box, another was sat on the washing line that passes near by. They flew off returning very early every morning for about a week and seemed to be pecking around the hole, why would they be doing this?
This week two Blue Tits have been doing the same thing but have actually been inside the box as some nesting material I put inside the box was on the garden below the box. I hope they decide to make a home in the box, it would make my day.
Hi bluebird. I have noticed this behaviour too. I think the birds are conditioned to follow a certain routine when nest building. I would think that the first thing they have to do if they are using holes in trees, is to excavate the hole by tapping away at it. The fact that the hole is already there in a nest box, doesn't make any difference, they have to follow the same routine. I hope it's a good sign, because next they should start to bring in nesting material.
Hi budgie
I did reply but can't see my post.
Iwould leave both boxes as they are this year and see what happens.
Ref Blue birds post, Great tits will try and make th hole bigger and sometimes bully the bluetits thats why the hole size is important.
Good luck and fingers crossed Ray
Seen my answer now