Bird boxes

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jpgreenwood

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We installed a new birdbox this year, on the side of the garden shed. Its been a very active birdbox, with 2 Great Tits flying in and out every other minute, for the last 3-4 weeks. Taking in nesting materials, and more recently food,. Great for photography!!
Anyway, yesterday, I was gardening nearby, and making a lot of noise, removing some bricks out of the ground and generally tidying up. I tried to be as quiet and less disruptive as possible.
Today, I haven't seen the birds at all, although Great Tits are a frequent visitor to the garden so we have a lot of them. Ive got to know their route in and out and the only visitors are coming from the opposite end of the garden.
Could it be that they have just flown the nest?
The birdbox is fully screwed together so no getting access to see inside.
I would hate to think ive done some damage to the family and they have been spooked away.
 
Flown the nest most likely. I have had nest boxes up for 30+ years and the chicks have always gone very early in the morning.

Wait a few weeks (in case the parents have a 2nd brood) then take the box down for cleaning out. (My homebrew boxes have always had a hinged base to make cleaning easy.)
 
BTO guidance on cleaning out nestboxes (ENG & WAL):

When the breeding season is over, old nests can be removed and the box cleaned out. Bird Protection Law permits the cleaning out of nests between 1 September and 31 January. Any dead eggs must be destroyed promptly and cannot be kept or sold.

In SCO the dates are 1 August & 31 January.

Fines are potentially eye-watering - 6 months in prison a possibility on top.
 
There is often a clue when the chicks are getting close to leaving. For a few days before you may notice a chick poke it's head out of the box frequently (probably looking for the parents to bring food). When the chicks start doing that they are very close to being able to fly. If any are reluctant to leave the parents will call them from a few yards away.

I actually had one occasion when the chicks did not leave very early in the morning. I suspect that something frightened them out of the box about a day or two too soon. They flew (not very well) out late in the morning. Five of them came into my house via the french doors. I ushered them out, but they left the garden then cats got them.

BTW keep an eye open for predators. Last year I was amazed watching a magpie trying to get into the box. After unsuccessful attempts at climbing down to the hole it had repeated attempts at hovering and poking it's beak in. It eventually mastered that manoeuvre and with some very vigorous wing work it could hover rather well . Fortunately the chicks kept out of reach.

All the crow family are very clever !
 
I had seen movement inside a few days before, and I know both adults were out foraging.
No predators have been near. I'll leave it a few weeks just to make doubly sure.
 
The chicks in my nestbox left just over 2 weeks ago. At the beginning of this week two adults were paying very frequent visits for 2 days, but since that there has been no activity. Maybe a 2nd brood coming.
I wish I had got one of these boxes with a camera built in so the activity can be watched live on a TV set.
 
arclight said:
The chicks in my nestbox left just over 2 weeks ago. At the beginning of this week two adults were paying very frequent visits for 2 days, but since that there has been no activity. Maybe a 2nd brood coming.
I wish I had got one of these boxes with a camera built in so the activity can be watched live on a TV set.
Click to expand...
I put up an hd sideways filming nest box for this year to replace my low res nest box that has always been successful, and not a thing this year. Not even any bird crap in there, very disappointed.
 
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