Hello. I have a birdbox and have noticed this morning some blue tits taking an interest in it and starting to take nesting materials in. Unfortunately yesterday I confirmed a garden renovation for the end of May. This will involve a mini digger and some noisy work. What would your advice be regarding the blue tits. Ideally I'd like them to stay and would inform the gardeners of them and ask them to be considerate of them, but if the noise and disturbance would be too much for them I wouldn't like to let them nest to their detriment. Any advice greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
Hello Ligre, As long as the birdbox isn't removed (which would contravene the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) if nesting has begun, or work carried out where the box is attached, then a bit of noise shouldn't bother the blue tits. If they are in the early stages of building they may opt to rebuild a nest elsewhere if the disturbance gets too much; even without disturbance birds often start a nest or even lay eggs and then abandon them for no apparent reason. Once a bird begins to nest, even bringing in the first nesting materials it then becomes illegal to remove a box or nest although I realise you don't intend to do that and are just worried the disturbance might put them off nesting and drive them away. Any large jobs in our garden or heavy pruning, etc, we tend to carry out during Autumn and Winter months as we have a lot of birds in the garden including blackbirds who nest in the laurel bushes/ hedgerows adjoining ours and other neighbouring properties. I would go ahead with your work and keep fingers crossed the blue tits will continue to use the box and you eventually see some beautiful fledglings come early June time. Good luck.