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Post by petesbox on Jan 19, 2019 0:36:51 GMT
Hi everyone, its sad to see the old forum go but i must say Matt and Paul you've done a great job getting this one up and running, well done. I have a new box this year with lighting iv'e had visits almost daily from blue tits so could be a good sign. I'm gonna be putting up a second box ( side veiw from garden nature) with lighting when i find the time.
Again well done Matt and Paul.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jan 19, 2019 1:18:34 GMT
All sounds great Pete, The side box is my favourite box, Think you all know that how much I rave about it Looking forward to seeing how the season plans out for you!
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Post by petesbox on Jan 19, 2019 1:39:43 GMT
Cheers Paul, i'll start updating near spring
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Post by sammi on Jan 20, 2019 21:53:32 GMT
Best of luck with your boxes Pete. It all,sounds very promising. I've got two new boxes in place with an old one too moved to a new position. Fingers crossed for a good season.
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Post by petesbox on Jan 21, 2019 11:58:19 GMT
Thanks Sammi and the same to you, its all gone a bit quiet at the moment with this colder weather. i'm hoping to get my side view box up today. I've had no roosters this year.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jan 21, 2019 12:04:23 GMT
Good luck with the side box Pete Hope you like it as much as I do, Isn't the best angle to do egg counts but when the chicks grow you get an brilliant view of them. Looking forward to your updates, Wonder if you'll get great tits again?!
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Post by petesbox on Jan 23, 2019 23:07:37 GMT
Thanks Paul. Yes i found the angle a bit to shallow so i moved the camera further up and made my own false wooden ceiling with the appropriate hole drilled for the lens and IR sensor seems to work OK. I've got a pair of blue and great tits visiting the feeders, would be nice to have blue's for a change as i've only ever had GT's but either one and i'm happy. I'll be interested to see whether the lighting will put them off, has anyone else found that to brighter lights maybe puts the birds off nesting?
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jan 23, 2019 23:52:41 GMT
Hmm, My roosters don't seem to be bothered about the lightening this year. My lights have a sensor that turn them off when its going dark outside so at dusk they turn off but at moment I have 2 blue tit roosters and a female sparrow rooster. They always come in around 10 mins before the led turns off and they aren't bothered at all, One of my blue tits as a little jump up at it now and again but apart from that not at all bothered. You need to realise aswell, Elizabeth and Malcolm's boxes owners of old site have always had led lightening in all there boxes and still get nests every year. I don't know if this is just a coincidence but this is first year I have had a sparrow roost in my box and I have noticed when the led light is on she will stay on the floor and go asleep but the minute it turns off and the box goes dark she jumps up on the "ledge" by the hole of the box to sleep so I actually think she likes the lightening.
If you also look at this video here of mine from last year I had a led light in this box to "test" it out before putting it in all my boxes and she wasn't bothered.
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Post by twinkle on Jan 26, 2019 12:25:15 GMT
i have just watched this video and at the end i was laughing as it picked up the wrong bit to throw out then realised what it had in its beak and then picked up the poo.
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Post by petesbox on Feb 4, 2019 13:27:43 GMT
This is the first chance i've had to take any photos of some activity although there's not been much of it.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 4, 2019 13:58:09 GMT
Brilliant Pete, Love the wide angle! You had any great tit activity yet? I know you seem to get great tits regular the past few years.
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Post by petesbox on Feb 4, 2019 14:16:12 GMT
Hi Paul, i bought a starling box from garden nature because it was tall and i could fit in the electronics above the false ceiling, and drilled a new entrance hole, i think the camera is slightly higher than in the last box i had hence the more wide angle look. The block of wood i added to narrow down the floor space as it being a starling box i thought it might be a bit to big for blue tits. Very quiet with the great tits a few visits to the feeders and a few to the entrance hole, but that was a week or two ago.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 4, 2019 16:08:01 GMT
Ohhh, Good idea that Pete, Nice but box for them! Shame about the great tits seem to be little regulars for you, But still very early days! Any visits to your side box yet?
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Post by petesbox on Feb 4, 2019 17:36:35 GMT
Still deciding were to put the side box pretty limited on places to put it.... i will do it though.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 4, 2019 18:21:43 GMT
Oh I thought you had put the box up Pete, Thats why I asked, Hopefully its successful when placed.
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Post by YorksherLass on Feb 5, 2019 11:40:19 GMT
Lovely photo Pete Like you, not much activity from any blue or great tits here, but this morning, a great tit was on my feeders a few times but still no interest in our nestbox. However, I saw a couple of sparrows going into the ivy on our Big Shed within seconds of each other. One went into the front ivy & the other into the side ivy, so I watched (trying not to blink!) & they were still in there ten minutes later, so now fingers crossed!
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Post by petesbox on Feb 5, 2019 20:25:48 GMT
Thanks Yorksherlass. I had a couple of visits to the hole by a great tit today, and a couple entries by a male blue tit trying to get his other half in there, but to no avail.
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Post by sammi on Feb 6, 2019 17:00:06 GMT
Hi Pete, good luck for a great tit nest this year. Great idea about the starling box. I have done all I can now to lure great tits in. I have two new boxes with a larger entrance hole for them so they really cannot complain I've watched them try in the past to squeeze in through the smaller hole and almost imagined the cork popping noise as they got in After last year when they started and abandoned a nest I am hoping they will take advantage of the new boxes. Things are certainly starting to happen.
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Post by petesbox on Feb 6, 2019 21:43:00 GMT
Thanks Sammi, i gotta say its not looking to good at the moment just one short visit to the hole today. Yes the GT's like the bigger holes 32mm, i had a box up last year with a 28mm hole the female managed to squeeze in but the male could'nt quit do it. Good luck with your box's this year.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 7, 2019 12:07:20 GMT
How many boxes you currently got up and running Pete? It is still very early in the season, I wouldn't be to worried about visits yet. I think most members are only getting the odd visit at the moment so you aren't alone on lack of visits at this point. If you've only got the one box you should get your side box up asap and give them a little choice.
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Post by petesbox on Feb 7, 2019 13:16:01 GMT
Thanks for your reassurance Paul, still got just the one box, gonna try and get the side box up this week end if the weathers OK.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 7, 2019 13:57:41 GMT
Sounds like a plan Pete, Just gives them different options over the coming weeks. Fingers crossed for you am sure you'll end up with a nest!
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Post by elle on Feb 7, 2019 17:48:39 GMT
Hi Pete Think Paul’s right about getting your angled box up a.s.a.p,I’m sure will prove fruitful if placed in the correct position. I too found the camera view a bit shallow to see anything especially as my female what built a nest in mine was the messiest female I’ve ever had ( or a very private bird) and didn’t want me to see anything! So after 2018 season, changed angle of camara slightly, not too much to take away the whole idea of the angled camera, but hopefully just enough to get a bit better view. It is still very early yet, so fingers crossed for you when the season kicks off Elle xx
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Post by petesbox on Feb 11, 2019 20:30:08 GMT
Ok, i've now got my side view box in place so i'll update if and when theres any action
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 11, 2019 20:44:55 GMT
Great Pete, Looking forward to any updates.
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