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Post by karenupnorth on Jan 24, 2019 12:58:24 GMT
Looks like things are getting going for you Matt, I too have been trying to note the differences and scanning photos of the BTs. I know one female has a black speck near her bill! Still working on the males!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2019 14:37:25 GMT
Looking at those pics Matt, I would say the bottom right is deffo different than the top two. It has less black on its beak also my wife says the bottom left is also different than the top two.
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Post by matt on Jan 24, 2019 15:45:29 GMT
I agree Benn, with you and your wife! Holes added to the moldy box. I haven't removed the wood shavings as its a bit of a faff. Can't imagine this will cause an issue?
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jan 24, 2019 19:00:14 GMT
Hopefully it helps with the mold Matt
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Post by twinkle on Jan 26, 2019 12:13:33 GMT
Fantastic Matt all the best to you whether it's the same bird or not is so frustrating isn't it? Hopefully if weather improves you will see two in the box! My female has been in this morning with hubby and she is clearing out again -total madness!!! Need them to come in and do my cleaning.
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jan 26, 2019 13:22:11 GMT
Too right Twinkle, my place needs a good dusting too much time spent watching my female and on here! Any more developments Matt with your boxes?
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Post by matt on Jan 29, 2019 11:16:39 GMT
Any more developments Matt with your boxes? Not much activity the last few days, but a few visits to a couple of the boxes this morning in quick succession. I think one bird is "doing the rounds" and checking everything is still where he thought it was! We don't seem to be getting activity levels that many of you are getting elsewhere, but I am much more relaxed about it this year than last. Last year we didn't get a single visit until the end of Feb but we still got a nest in our one and only box (nest building started 8th April). Yesterday I saw a buzzard for the first time ever in our garden, perched atop the shed with a nest box on. I'm guessing bluetits aren't on a buzzard's menu, so hopefully that won't put them off!
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Post by YorksherLass on Jan 29, 2019 11:38:01 GMT
I'm pleased you had a couple of returning birds today Matt, after reading your message on the Garden Birdwatch thread yesterday. Still not much activity here though, except for wood pigeons dropping by for a d***k. Diane
For the second time, something happened after posting this message, so I had to edit it! I'll post a message for Paul now telling him about it.
Just popped back to sort of type out the missing word, which I deleted after it went wrong.
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Post by matt on Jan 29, 2019 11:49:30 GMT
I always find it a bit strange how the garden can go from a bird desert to hive of activity overnight. I guess its just the weather, but still - where do they all go? Today we had the starlings and sparrows back on the feeders as well, and they'd been MIA for a good week or two. You'd think that once they have found a reliable food source they'd be on it all the time, but obviously not. I think we do have a lot of local bird feeders around, so perhaps they just do the rounds?
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jan 29, 2019 12:34:21 GMT
Alot of it does depend on the weather Matt, Its currently bucketing it down with rain here no visits to the boxes today. Later its forcasted to dry for abit then heavy snow moves in for us so if that is the case I doubt be any visits tomorrow either.
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Post by matt on Jan 29, 2019 15:17:39 GMT
Checking out the new ventilation holes in the moldy nest box!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jan 29, 2019 16:43:51 GMT
Brilliant picture Matt!
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Post by blueeyedchick on Jan 29, 2019 22:28:36 GMT
Excellent Matt hopefully that will do the trick, how do you think it occurred in the first place, is it in a damp spot? Lovely clarity of picture!
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Post by YorksherLass on Jan 30, 2019 11:57:17 GMT
That's a wonderful photo, the colours are beautiful & hopefully the new holes will stop any re-occurrence of mold.
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Post by suep on Jan 30, 2019 19:40:31 GMT
Gorgeous clear picture Matt, I am so jealous of all you clever people with your lighting etc in boxes. My pictures in my box always look so dull by comparison. Just not clever enough to do lighting or tamper with box in any way. Will just be glad if I get a nest - dull purple pictures or not. Sue
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Post by matt on Jan 31, 2019 10:33:24 GMT
Flurry of visits to two of the boxes this morning. So hope we get a nest this year with the new colour cameras! Here's a nice close up from today:
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Post by matt on Jan 31, 2019 10:53:30 GMT
Ooh and a visit to the third box as well, so that's a full house this morning! Almost certain first two are being visited by the same bird, as there seems to be a pattern now of one after the other (within a minute or so). Not sure yet about the third one, which is quite a long way away (on the side of the house).
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Post by YorksherLass on Jan 31, 2019 11:34:11 GMT
Oh wow! What a fantastic photo with such clear beautiful colours! This year will probably be the best one for seeing everybody's fabulous photos and videos, so many thanks to all of you. heart
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 1, 2019 13:04:23 GMT
Brilliant picture Matt, You are going to have such good quality recording if you get a nest this year. Will you be doing a live stream again when a box is selected? I hope so.
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Post by matt on Feb 1, 2019 14:08:07 GMT
Yes, planning to Paul if we get a nest! Almost certain now that a single bird is checking out all three boxes, as all three got visited in quick succession this morning, but also pretty sure that at least one other bird has checked them too, so hopefully a bit of competition - and if the main bird has made a shortlist then hopefully one of our boxes will win out! Seems to be quite a bit of activity in our garden generally at the moment, with a couple of bluetits and a pair of great tits on the feeders this morning along with the usual suspects- and I literally haven't seen a single great tit in our garden for about 6 months. Also a wren hopping about the clematis remnants.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 1, 2019 16:20:42 GMT
Maybe its a male checking out his options for when he as a female Matt? You seen two birds at box together yet? Like one inside one outside on the hole.
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Post by matt on Feb 1, 2019 16:40:12 GMT
Not yet Paul. My most visited box doesn't have the hole within camera shot, so I suppose it is possible that I have missed it. This time last year I hadn't even had a visit so I am very relaxed about things at the moment. It would be nice to see though! Watching two bluetits this morning in the garden and they definitely seemed "together" and I am fairly sure that one of them is the box visitor, so hopefully he will show her around soon enough.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 1, 2019 19:17:17 GMT
Yes matt, Still loads of time yet! Nest building won't start with another 5 or so weeks at the earliest If we have cold snaps during March like last year might be another season where its an April start.
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Post by matt on Feb 1, 2019 19:49:52 GMT
April 8th for me last year Paul. I think I was later than most, but around the same time as some others.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 1, 2019 20:14:33 GMT
I wasn't much ahead of you Matt, 1st April for me last year, 10th March in 2017 so big difference in time last year.
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