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We bought an RSPB blue tit box about 3 years ago and sited it on an east facing trellis amongst a rambling jasmine. Each year a pair of blue tits has spent a considerable time popping in and out of the box. They have also spent time chipping away at the rim of the access hole. This is happening again right now. Does anyone know why they are doing this?
So far the birds have not nested. Previously we had blue tits nesting in a box on a south facing wall amongst a climbing rose. We moved this after concerns about over heating.
Recently read that young birds don't thrive so well in a garden where birds are fed close to the next box. Parents too busy defending territory. Decided to stop feeding (apart from recent cold spell) Also concerned about neighbourhood cats. Installed a sonic bird scarer purchased from RSPB Catalogue. But cats are defying it!
Given the situation with cats should we stop feeding the birds anyway?
We do garden for wildlife. Have frogs spawning in the pond this week. During cold spell we counted 28-30 goldfinches in our birch trees, a group of seven Fieldfare in a pyracantha, and a solitary bullfinch stripping berries from our rowan sapling.
If you have always fed the birds, please don't stop. Cats are always a pain, scarers don't work, smells of lion dung do work, but who keeps a lion. Jeys fluid on a sponge works to some extent. Move you box further from your feeders, keep it on a sheltered East facing site, in good shade if possible. Fingers crossed the tits may nest if they are checking it out. Make sure the hole is not too big, to let predators in.
Take care all, Stich.
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another thing you could try if you can is getting these spikes which you fit ontop of walls or fences, which helps deter cats from entering the garden as they find them uncomfortable to walk on.
I would keep feeding the birds. Even when nesting, the parents come and top up with food from feeders, particularly high energy sunflower hearts.This helps help them when they are working hard to search out suitable food for the babies.
As for cats, shoo them away as much as possible if you are around - they don't like the fuss. There are plenty of other gardens they can choose and in the end, they prefer the quiet life. The tits will be back next year even if if they don't nest this year - look at it long term. You're certainly getting some good birds attracted to your garden.
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