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Hi Pauwen, I have a woodland garden also with many mature Oak and Beech trees; we have put our boxes up facing N/NE nailed to the oak trunk with a couple of fixing pins either side of the box to stop it being dislodged if the squirrel sits on the roof as it often does ! We are having lots of success with Blue Tits checking out 8 of the 13 boxes and last year we had 4 occupied (when we had less boxes) although GSWoodpecker scared off three of the birds, one successfully went on to have 10 fledglings. The North by North East position seems to be the best.
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Regards, Hazel
I also have a wooded area and have got more nesting boxes than I can count nailed onto trees. Ones for little birds but also owls, for red squirrels and for bats.
All mine are secured by 4 nails to ensure that they don't come down under the weight of snow and strong winds.... I'm very rural north in the Cheviots at the end of the Pennine range and at the cross roads of 2 valleys so we always get strong wind! no matter which way it blows!
They've all been up there for decades and I can report that no trees have been harmed in the process. It's a method acknowledged and recommended by such as the woodland trust and wildlife trust and used in conservation areas. And as such I got advice from the Northumberland Wildlife trust as part of the "save our red squirrels" initiative.
You really want to have them no lower than 6 feet up though to ensure predators don't climb up and raid them. I face all mine somewhere between south-east and north, to avoid strong direct sunlight and the heaviest rain. Tilt it slightly forwards so that the roof deflects the rain from the entrance.
Make sure they're not too close to any bird feeding station you have.
A bird in the hand can make an awful mess!
Hi Northernlass,
I would love you to post a pic of one of your red squirrels!
Last one I saw was in the 70s on the sycamore tree outside my bedroom as a young lad!
Regards micolo
www.flickr.com/photos/robin1966/
I linked into your 5.08pm post Really brought back childhood memories of the red squirrel I used to view from my my bedroom window in the 1970s, alas I believe they are only seen now in Northumbra and Cumbria?
I stand to be corrected though!
Regards Micolo
Hi Northernlass, I would love you to post a pic of one of your red squirrels! Last one I saw was in the 70s on the sycamore tree outside my bedroom as a young lad! Regards micolo
Hey, I'd love to get a photo of a red squirrel!!!
You probably know but they're nowhere near as bold and brazen as greys. Indeed they're VERY shy of people and it's rare they come to the ground and I've never ever ever had one anywhere near a bird feeder. And I doubt anyone with grey squirrels would ever say that!
We do see them from time to time and indeed we do a count for a local red squirrel conservation group. But it's nearly always up in the trees, running away from you and you can ALWAYS count on the fact that it's when you don't have a camera on you! We even have had the squirrel conservation lot here with a pro wildlife photographer and though they managed to see just the one once, even they didn't succeed in getting a photo.
I most often see them very early in the morning or else when I'm out on the horse. Where I hang my washing out is a clearing in a wooded part of the garden and where we have some squirrel boxes and I see them there occasionally.
If I ever manage to get a photo though I promise you'll be the first to see it... but you could die waiting ;-)
Micolo, they're also in Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Wight. I presume you might have meant in England though and in that case I think there's some still in North Yorkshire in the dales around Hawes and Mallerstang ... at least that's according to the group we're in
http://www.northernredsquirrels.org.uk/members.htm
Thanx Northernlass
I had a look at doggie 5.08pm post link which I recommend for everyone to view!
Its a shame the red squirrel has disappeared from view.
Like I said earlier I do remember it on my farm up the Sycamore tree outside my bedroom window scurrying around in the 70s!
I await any photos you may get!
Alas I can only swap you with greys these days!
Thanx Micolo
No greys here... we shoot them as part of red squirrel conservation.
I don't like anything in nature being shot! But i understand it! Its like the badger cull and all that tuberculosis stuff! The scientists who are far cleverer than me make the decisions but as someone who wants all nature to survive I have a heavy heart when it occurs!
I've no problem with it whatsoever.
Thank you very much for the advice.. I will be putting them in wood today