Grow Your Own Magazine

jeannine · #1 (**permalink**) 29-02-2008, 06:29 PM

Just got a robin box at Aldi for £4.99, bargain!

We've got room for a couple more though, has anyone made a bird box and if so, what's a good design?

Also, any ideas on where to site them?

smallblueplanet · #2 (**permalink**) 29-02-2008, 06:38 PM

Here's a link to my favourite wildlife stuff retailer, I'm not suggesting you buy their stuff (they are a bit pricey) but there are little cartoons of where and what kind of box you can put up in a smallish garden.

Living with Birds: Buy Nest Boxes, Garden Packs Wildlife Shop

I have to admit to having various of the woodcrete boxes, including the double house martin boxes, they're pretty good.

nick the grief · #3 (**permalink**) 29-02-2008, 10:56 PM

If you fancy making them try this nestboxes or if you can get up to our lottie plot and have a word with the plot manager Ted, he'll make them for you with nice slate roofs !

Gauckwin · #4 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 12:37 AM

Word of warning, don't put any nesting material in your nest boxes,
OH put some wood shavings in our boxes and the male bluetit spent days chucking it out, the female sat happily near by watching all of this going on.
Girl Power.

pigletwillie · #5 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 08:22 AM

We built these nestboxes using this RSPB plan.

Using timber from a packing case salvaged at work we made over 40 for our allotment site. They are fixed in trees, on sheds and at the ends of my polytunnels.

Flummery · #6 (**permalink**) 01-03-2008, 01:41 PM

You can use the same design and instead of making the round hole, saw off a small bit in the top front corner. Tree sparrows love these. We have made both and different designs appeal to different birds.

jeannine · #7 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 08:17 PM

Wow, I never though of putting them up at the allotments, what a brilliant idea!

Cheers for all your advice everyone, I guess I'll need to get a wriggle on if I'm going to get some finished and up in time for them to be used this year.

Headfry · #8 (**permalink**) 03-03-2008, 09:35 AM

should you clean out nest boxes each year? and do they need to have somewhere below them for they young to flop onto when first leaving the nest. My box is on our house wall but quite high up. nothing under it- so its a bit of a drop to the ground.
Is it better if the box is in amongst bushes or trees?

Vegetarian Fox · #9 (**permalink**) 13-03-2008, 08:30 AM

We have put up 4 homemade nestboxes of the RSPB design and are eagerly waiting for habitation

We also splashed out on a 'camera box' on the east side of our house, which has a cable which we can plug into the TV a la Bill Oddie - works in daylight and infrared

http://www.handykam.com/shop-buy-pro...em-NB1CCK.html

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode