Blogger: Emily Field, RSPB Volunteer & Farmer Alliance Project Officer (Bird Survey Data & Advice)

Raaagh! My Camera Broke just as I knew I had my last opportunity to snap the great tits feeding chicks in our nest box! Sure enough I went there this morning and my allotment was silent, a quick peep confirmed my suspicion- yes they’d gone! Frustration aside- this is such a lovely story for me.

It all starts last Autumn, when I dragged my kids up to ‘Wild About Norfolk’- at Dereham High School- really I just wanted to show off this fabulous event to them as I’d helped set up the night before...

I live with my husband and our two boys, they’re into motorbikes, computer games, electric guitars and drums... nothing bad there- but sometimes I wish I could kindle a bit more excitement for nature. So I’d seen on the programme there was going to be bird box making- bingo- if there are hammers involved the boys would be there! So I got them there without too much whining.

We had loads of fun on the way around to the workshop- the event was a huge success with so much to see & do (lots of activities for the boys), and I felt very proud as I identified most of the items in the wildlife quiz. When we finally found the right place, I was delighted to see a friendly face- one of my Volunteer & Farmer Alliance (V&FA) farmland bird surveyors was also volunteering that day! He helped my four year old, Tom, build a bird box and Tom listened carefully to every instruction- he was delighted to hear that the wood is all pre-cut by prisoners at Wayland Prison, not far from us.

Tom chose  a spot at our on the half dead bramley apple tree,  by the tree house for it, duly north-east facing and we forgot all about. Then while laying in the hammock a few weeks ago, I noticed a pair of great tits busily darting to a fro from the box, gradually the noise form the box got louder, and I lost many a minute watching mum bringing in a daddy long legs, a caterpillar or small beetle.

This Monday, I was so worried the box would fly off the branch in the wind, and it was swaying it was so weighted down with chicks! The behaviour of the parents changed as they started to call from a branch outside the box instead of going straight in with the food and then a baby popped its head out of the hole! So I know they weren’t far from fledging.

Now I feel silly with excitement & can’t wait for next spring!

Great Tit. Photo Credit: Ben Hall (rspb-images.com)