Hello - I have been watching and feeding birds in my yard for a few years now, but consider myself a novice. But this is the first year I have hung a nestbox. Two blue tits have showed an interest in the box over the past two days. I'm so excited!
However as I said I don't have a garden only have a yard about 150 yards long, surounded by a wall about 10 feet high. A 'resident ' blackbird loves to hop between the many pots I have. There are trees, bushes and ivy down one side of the wall, with feeders hung on them. On the opposite wall I have feeders hung. I hung the nest box high up above my kitchen window, I thought this the only safe wall to hang it on as the cat next door won't be able to reach it.
Now I am wondering if I will disturb the blue tits when I am in the kitchen. Also it's that time of year for getting out the power washer to blast the yard...will this frighten or disturb the blue tits?
I am surprised that I get such a variety of birds in my yard. I live a mile from the town centre but there is a park close by. Any advice will be very welcome. I look forward to posting on the forum in the future.
Hi Wozatmz welcome to the forums from me also!
So long as you're not directly disturbing the nestbox I see no reason for the blue tits to abandon now they have established themselves. Plenty of food, water and shelter is what they need so the only other problem could be competition with other species - not likely once they have occiped the box as the dominant pair within that territory space! The main things to bear in mind when siting nestboxes is that they are not bombared by the wind or exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of the day. This would make the extreme variations very difficult for the birds to tolerate.
It's sounds like your managing the space very well by having a mixture of potted plants and nestboxes though. it also sprang to mind that it's worth me pointing out the RSPB Homes for Wildlife project. I'm sure will be of interest to you given your initial post. By signing up you will receive tailored advice from us specific to your garden space and how to further benefit wildlife. It's absolutely packed full of useful info; please see for more details: www.rspb.org.uk/hfw
Welcome from me too!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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Hi LloydScott
Thanks for you welcome, advice re the nestbox, and the advice re garden space on the RSPB website. I joined the RSPB last year and had a look at the information re how to use garden space in order to benefit all wildlife. I found it very useful and began to make some changes.
Sadly Pepper my dear cat died in March this year, he had been a loving companion for 20 years, but had been unwell with an enlarged heart, and kidney failure for the past 9 years. Medication and lots of TLC kept him comfortable and painless. But the time came when I had to make a very difficult decision. No pet could ever replace Pepper, and I decided I wanted to make my yard space a haven for birds and other wildlife, despite it not being a very big space. I haven't been disspointed to date.
I'm planning on posting some pictures of my yard, reident Mr B and the Blue Tits on the forum soon. I'm going to Scarborough for a week tomorrow. I will be calling into Forge Valley Natural Nature Reserve to spend some time in the beautiful woodland there and watching the variety of birds who visit the feeding stations.
MarJus - thank you for your welcome too
Hello wozatmz,
welcome from me too - I'm a newbie and everyone on here has been really welcoming and friendly.
Totally empathise with yuor loss and new direction - I lost my dog in Dec and she had instigated a no fly zone over my garden but I too have moved over to birds.
good luck with all your efforts
Lyndsey
I didn't get to be stupid by being blonde, I was stupid enough to pay to be blonde!!!