Blue And Great Tits

[Sanjo]

For the first time ever we have both blue and great tits nesting either side of the garden and it is lovely to watch. As both parents in both boxes are now very active we are assuming that the eggs have hatched so apart from next doors cats which we watch out for we hope they make it safely through. The holes are the correct size and we have only really thought in terms of danger from cats before but last week we got speaking to a man in Wyevales who told us that squirrels had eaten the eggs from his nesting blue tits and that you also had to be wary of magpies both of which creatures seem to think our garden is theirs. I wondered if anyone had fitted those plastic extension holes to the front of your boxes. Did it affect the using of the boxes or do birds prefer to be able to get straight in. Plastic doesn't seem very bird friendly in any case. I dont mind getting some for next year but I dont want to put them off now that they have finally found these boxes (it took them all long enough and for several years they were just viewed by prospective parents before they turned their beaks up and found more desirable residence.) Any coments appreciated.

[smallblueplanet]

We've got 'woodcrete' tit boxes, so the holes are quite solid. Another box, a wooden one, I fitted a metal plate to, to prevent the hole being widened. The guy a couple of doors down has one of those 'hole extenders' but his bird box is closer to a patch of wood/trees.

Maybe if you put something spikey/or wirey on the roof of the box, it would stop magpies/squirrels/cats getting on the top of the box and attempting to get inside?

[Sanjo]

Hi Smallblueplanet, we have spikey, thorny stuff around the boxes (one is sited in a holly tree) but the front is clear for the birds to see the holes. Apparently the squirrel just puts his arm on the box and takes the eggs. However, thinking about it I suppose the robbers would have to sit on the box to reach in as the front is clear with nothing to perch on. Just thought the the extenders would shorten his reach bit but from a human point of view I thought the extenders a bit tacky. Don't suppose a bird would think the same though!! I have suggested to OH that HE makes a surround out of wood to go round the hole and he will do it for me but he thinks I am fretting about nothing although if something got HIS birds he would be very upset. He hates cats and squirrels anyway. Do the birds use your woodcrete one. We have seen them advertised. Has your neighbour got/had nesting birds in the box with the extender do you know?

[smallblueplanet]

Hi Sanjo - I've tried to take a picture of it, but its a bit overgrown at the bottom of the gardens. Oh and my neighbour has a bonfire, so the smoke was drifting! I'm sure it gets used. The 2nd is the box I put up on the remains of a leylandii! The birds like the woodcrete boxes, they're pretty well made too.


- long zoom, smoke, vegetation - spot the box!

- metal hole protector

[Sanjo]

Thanks Very Much Smallblueplanet. I Have Just Been To Look At My Veggie Patch (tiny Compared To What Some Of You Are Coping With!!~)and I Walked Past The Great Tit Box And There Is A Lot Of Baby Noise Coming From It. We Are Dead Chuffed. Like First Time Parents. Now We'll Have The Anxious Wait To See If They All Survive. Your Boxes Look Great By The Way.

[Claire72]

You can get metal 'hole protectors' to put over the hole from the rspb website, I think they are about £1.50 each. Apparently woodpeckers can go for the young birds too. Hope they all survive.

[Sanjo]

Thanks Claire72. I'll look into that.

[marialittlebzz]

this is the kind of nest box I used to do, the "platform" is a good way to block any squirrels or cats paws and also gives a little step for the babies as they get ready for their first flight!!
the dimension are on cm and mm, and don't worry about the french text...it says exactly what I just said above!

Passion Bassin - Les oiseaux sauvages et le jardin plan de nichoir

mesange bleue = blue tits
mesange charbonniere= great tits

[smallblueplanet]

The pictures, even when clicked on, are too small for me to see maria.

[marialittlebzz]

sorry!!
see this link Passion Bassin - Les oiseaux sauvages et le jardin plan de nichoir

[smallblueplanet]

Here's the clickable plans in case the link changes, maria.

Hole diameter:
*26 mm mésange bleue
*32 mm mésange charbonnière, rougegorges, rougequeues...



They look good, if anyone makes some it'd be good to see photos.

[Claire72]

We downloaded plans from the rspb site when we made them at school. Think we did a google search for bird boxes, as it seems to depend on what birds you want to attract, as to the design of the box

[marialittlebzz]

thanks...I'm struggling with "attachments" and stuff
but i manage to put these which are very funny!!