Bird box 2016

beyond the blue

beyond the blue

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Neil
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I've done a thread on this for the last couple of years so I thought I'd do the same again this year. Over winter I increased the size of the windows and installed a 700tvl resolution wired camera system as apposed to last years 500tvl wireless one. I sanded the Perspex windows to obscure vision but for some reason the box remains empty this year. I have looked at previous years photo's and the dates show that nest building started a good couple of weeks ago. I have not seen the slightest bit of interest in the box this year. So how are you guys getting on this year? This is my set up now.

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Couple out in the garden, both empty and with no interest noticed :(
 
Nothing in our bird box yet either - keep checking the camera daily.
 
OK, so going off these replies there's hope yet. It's strange that I've not even seen any visits to the box at all this year. I cleaned the box out thoroughly at Christmas and the camera does show some droppings in there now, so who knows.
 
Got a couple in our box over the last 10 days (which I put up too late last year). Try and get some shots soon.
 
beyond the blue said:
OK, so going off these replies there's hope yet. It's strange that I've not even seen any visits to the box at all this year. I cleaned the box out thoroughly at Christmas and the camera does show some droppings in there now, so who knows.
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I cleaned our box out earlier in the year too (long ladder job) and that's when I put the camera in - I think a few bits of old fluff and debris that I left in there have moved but no signs of anyone taking up residence yet:(
 
We have two eggs in our box so far, same as this time last year. The female has been roosting in the box since mid October.

Hope you get interest because it is amazing to watch them (as you know).
 
beyond the blue said:
I had a couple round this morning for a viewing...

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too late for me to do this year but ----

? are the grooves for a 'ladder'
? how small should the hole be
? how deep

I have several %^$£&*^%$ grey squirrels on the farm visiting my nearby feeders - and i've seen them easily run up walls...:(
 
Yardbent said:
too late for me to do this year but ----

? are the grooves for a 'ladder'
? how small should the hole be
? how deep

I have several %^$£&*^%$ grey squirrels on the farm visiting my nearby feeders - and i've seen them easily run up walls...:(
Click to expand...

The grooves are not a ladder as such as the birds don't need one. I put them in to make viewing the chicks a bit more interesting when they start moving around the box 3/4 days before they leave.
The hole in mine is 7/8 inch diameter. It seemed far too small when I made it but Blue tits have no problem with it.
The box is about 14" high x 6" x6"

This year I installed this camera https://www.spycameracctv.com/spycamera/hi-res-bird-box-camera-700tvl-sony-effio-ccd-ir-night-vision
 
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5 eggs under there somewhere.

amazing that each egg is nearly as big as their body volume ----ouch...:)
 
We have had great tits nesting in our box in 2013, when we cleaned out the box in the winter we found the nest was made up of our husky dogs fur. In 2014 we added another box about 5 feet away with a camera in it. Waited excitedly.......nothing:( 2015 again great tits nesting but in original box without the camera. This year again there is evidence of nest building, more husky fur sticking out the entrance, and frequent comings and goings to original nest box.
One day hopefully we will have them nesting in the camera box.
 
Fantastic discovery this weekend... I was watering the garden and happened to glance at an woven old bird house I put on the fence a few years back - I hid it behind our holly bush because the neighbours cats would sit and try to pick any birds off.
Anyway, the neighbours left last year but I didn't think about it, so I glanced over at the house and it was stuffed with moss.

I set up our trail cam and was rewarded with this little fellow!!
We've got a Wrens nest too! Proper chuffed with that :)
(Date on the trail cam is wrong - obviously! :) )
Wren_090516.jpg
 
RacingSnake said:
Another one has hatched for us this morning, so currently at 7 out of 8, Mum & Dad are going to be busy this year! :eek:
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Very sad news today - No idea whats happened, but over night all 7 of our chicks died! :eek: :eek:
I can only assume that 'mum' smothered them, they're all in there - 1 is actually alive (but barely), and the mum is back sitting on them all. Really upsetting to see actually, they were so active yesterday, feathers starting to appear, maybe only a day or so until their eyes would have opened too :(
 
:sorry: :(

Don't have any vision inside of ours but a lot of tiny noises can be heard from outside! :)

Here's hoping
 
Back to 'zero' again now... well, the one unhatched egg from last time.
My wife saw them taking one of them out of the nest, said they were only about an inch in size - she (the bluetit!)stood on top of the box, then flew in to the nearby oak tree, then flew off and back again 'empty' - So I don't know where she has taken them.

Really hope we're still early enough in the season to get another brood underway, but I'm not hopeful.

Sorry, really crap picture because of the reflections.
Birdbox1.jpg
 
Only 3 left alive out of the 8 that hatched, not been a good year :(


(But at least the woodpecker hasn't got them yet :) )
 
I think it must be a shortage of "natural" food, I've noticed that the parents have been taking a lot more from our fat-ball feeders than normal
 
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