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Post by elle on Feb 20, 2019 13:10:18 GMT
Oh Ann I feel your pain I’m also having fewer visits, if your painting you might just be missing them , at least you have another box with lots of interest, I know it’s no consolation because you haven’t got camera in there, but it is still very early and I feel positive you will get something in your side view box (which is looking very clean and new), I must say Elle xx ps. Don’t work too hard, we are supposed to be resting this holiday!!
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 20, 2019 13:49:53 GMT
thanks Paul ,im so pleased i have started it now, one wall completed with two coats, down tools for today, no rush to complete whole room. yes Ellie i will have an easier day tomorrow for sure. i must make sure i go back refreshed. lets hope my camera box is used it will be disappointing, where is the lovely warm weather they promised we have had two cloudy and windy days no sunshine
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Post by suep on Feb 20, 2019 16:11:14 GMT
Hope you don’t let the brush slip with excitement if one goes in the camera box Ann . Painting and watching, ironing and watching, cooking and watching - well that’s women for you - multi taskers. How about you men, what are you up to whilst birdie watching? - feathered variety of course. Sue
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 20, 2019 16:54:21 GMT
LoL like the comment about the men, Ha,Ha,Ha.Sue we are brilliant at spinning loads of plates. nothing to get excited about today, ive only seen the blue tit go in once. im looking forward to it being light in the mornings, so i can watch before i go out to school at 7, to get my lift.
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 21, 2019 15:59:28 GMT
such a beautiful sunny afternoon,15degrees here. ive been out a few hours this morning walking around the lakes. since i got back i went out to do some gardening, but i didn't see anything, plenty of wonderful singing around in the trees. ive come in and switched my camera box on, just wondering if they will be tempted as it so lovely out there.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 21, 2019 18:42:18 GMT
Looks like the weather is going be lovely and high temps for time year all weekend into next week.
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 21, 2019 19:42:55 GMT
Excellent, i will be busy watching until Sunday then its back to school
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 22, 2019 12:30:32 GMT
Do any of you know where i can get some more blue tits from or even another pr of great tits. we are so lacking here, one pr of blue tits, one pr great tits, pr robins, lots of blackbirds i don't stand a chance with having more than one box used and its looking very unlikely it will be the camera box great tits no where to be seen for looking at boxes
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 22, 2019 13:04:01 GMT
Hopefully you get that one pair nesting Ann
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Post by suep on Feb 24, 2019 19:52:23 GMT
I think you should ask Paul you send you some Ann, he always seems to be able to attract the birds Sue
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Post by matt on Feb 24, 2019 20:55:37 GMT
Ann if was me I wouldn't have any boxes in my garden that didn't have a camera in. Better to focus their attentions on the box you want so may be it would be better to either take the other box down or stick a camera in it!
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 25, 2019 19:14:43 GMT
hi matt i think that would be worth considering, as long as i didn't think i would lose them altogether, too be honest i only have one pr of bluetits so they can't use 3 boxes. im so tempted to go and remove it now.or tomorrow when i get home from school thanks Matt
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Post by matt on Feb 25, 2019 21:21:09 GMT
hi matt i think that would be worth considering, as long as i didn't think i would lose them altogether, too be honest i only have one pr of bluetits so they can't use 3 boxes. im so tempted to go and remove it now.or tomorrow when i get home from school thanks Matt Maybe run it past Paul first, but I think that is what I would do! (disclaimer - this is only my second year with a camera box).
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 26, 2019 6:39:26 GMT
well, this morning I've got up and while still dark ive taken the box down, here's hoping they go to my camera box more now, time will tells will see when i get home from school if there is any activity
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 26, 2019 7:42:20 GMT
Good morning springtime60, I imagine that was a hard decision to come to that, I think I would have stuck a camera in it just to keep my options open, but I keep my fingers crossed they will use your other box. By the way how do you know you only have one pair, I often wonder how many are around me?
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Post by matt on Feb 26, 2019 10:55:43 GMT
Good luck! A radical move maybe, but if you're other box is already on their radar then chances have to be improved now, surely? Of course they may have other fall-backs as well, so fingers crossed!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 26, 2019 11:42:23 GMT
Ann, I would of probably just tried to get a cheap camera off Ebay and put it in the other box rather than take it down. I only say this because if they prefer that box over your new camera box it doesn't mean because its gone they will take up in your camera box. If they have looked and still choosing to prefer the other box then maybe that is what they wanted so if anything they will probably just go and look for something else they prefer in someone elses garden. I only say this because I have 10 camera boxes, If I listened to the RSPB or BTO, I would only be "allowed" to have one or two at most boxes in front and one box in back due to the smallness of my gardens. my front house wall as 4 boxes on all around hmm 10 foot / 15 foot away from eachother, Sparrow box, 2 side boxes 1 32mm hole one 28mm and now my swift box. In 2016 this house wall had a sparrow nest and 2 blue tit nests, All 3 boxes was used all within 10 foot / 15 foot of eachother which all the experts say "isn't possible" "they will fight" Not one bird fought they got on with there business, This was probably a one off because my male blue tit had a few females on the go at same time but it still happened which proved having more boxes then you should and close together isn't always a bad thing that year I ended up with 3 blue tit nests and a sparrow all successfully fledged as pointed out my male blue tit was abit of a player and did have all 3 females on the go but these things do happen.
Bottom line of this story without going on with myself is I like to offer them a choice of boxes different hole sizes different box lay outs and so far its worked well for me I let them birds pick what they want, Please bare in mind when I had 3 nests on the same wall this was a SOUTH facing wall which they also tell you is a big no no however my south facing boxes are always my most successful my sparrows as been with me 4 years now in a south facing box.
My "north" facing boxes are my least popular and that is how you are told to have them by the big bird companys, I just choose to let the birds decide. It gives you a greater chance of success having more choice for them and its very rare I have fights in my boxes, Infact members with only 1 or 2 boxes seem to get more fights than myself.
What matt is saying is 100% true, If you want a camera box to be nested in its either have cameras in all boxes you are offering or be willing to accept maybe they prefer one of your none camera boxes over the camera box.
It sounds to me that you don't want to lose your blue tits, So I would either accept the fact they might not nest in the camera box but you've still give them a place to nest or get a cheap camera and have two cameras and you can't lose.
I'm sorry for the super long message just wanted to explain my point about offering more and letting the birds decide what they want.
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 26, 2019 11:54:49 GMT
Thats is interesting Paul where you say you had two BT nests and a sparrow nest all in close proximity, with same male BT in both boxes. I have had a couple of visits to the tree box this morning and I am not 100% but think it is same male going to next door with one female then when he catches up with his other lady takes her to the tree box. When he led her to the tree box this morning while she was having a look and a chip on the outside and male was waiting nearby two or three more BTs appeared and flew straight to the pair and all flew off in pursuit of each other. But with the neighbours box being only around 10 feet away seperated by a garden shed I didnt think they would nest so close but you shown they can. So next few weeks will be interesting for sure.
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 26, 2019 16:48:55 GMT
probably have to accept a wrong move, i have two other boxes' can always ask hubby again to put it back he's going to love me a miracle just happened my hubby he got out of the car after an hour and half drive from work and after me saying can you put it back up, he walked straight up the garden and back up it is. im not messing with nature now no one in my area would know what a bird was, never mind a bird box, so i don't have that threat to contend with thankfully
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 26, 2019 17:40:07 GMT
Probably a wise move Ann, Sue on the forum only as the 1 camera box that hasn't been used yet (her older one did by sparrows) They always pick the none camera boxes in her garden, But Sue still enjoys watching the comings and goings and shares some amazing pictures with us from outside. I think its a case of giving the birds what they want, If you can slip a camera inside the box great if not just come to terms with them liking one box more than another!
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 26, 2019 18:17:30 GMT
hi paul,
thanks for your replies. ive had boxes here for many years and had good success over the years.but defo a decline in birds around here as many trees and wildnesses have been removed for development.which is so so sad.but no doubt all areas are the same. not sure why im so impatient this year, i promise to be good from here on in.
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Post by suep on Feb 27, 2019 14:11:28 GMT
Ha ha, don’t be too good Ann. I think we all get a bit edgy when we see others getting interest . I am always really pessimistic that it won’t happen for me, but as Paul says I usually get something in one of my boxes even though they don’t usually opt for the one I have a camera in. Although my hubby likes me having an interest he won’t have wires etc hanging around and so I have just the one camera with wires totally hidden - just to keep him happy. However, I do enjoy capturing the comings and goings from the outside and feel I have achieved something when I get a decent photo, and the birds have had their ‘choice’ of home. I’d rather they nested safely in my garden and allow me to have the privilege of watching them, than see them fly to some other garden. I wish you luck and I feel you’ve done the right thing for the birds. Now you can only keep those fingers crossed and hope. Interest in mine has dwindled to pretty much nothing at the moment, so i’m going through that ‘ooh it’s not going to happen for me’, - but I just hope something does - very early days yet. Sue
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 27, 2019 18:47:08 GMT
hi everyone i leave at 7 am in the morning to walk to my lift at the other end of the town, on the path near by i saw a dead bluetit and another one a few feet away, just taking its last laboured breath, they must have been caught and played with by a cat no injuries on them at all.dont think it had happened very long it seemed so wasteful when we are all struggling to get the birds in our gardens not a good start to the day
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 27, 2019 22:40:16 GMT
Oh no thats so sad, must have been awful to see
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Post by YorksherLass on Feb 28, 2019 11:42:39 GMT
I hate cats 100% for the same reasons - but also the fact that the ones next door (6 of them) are a constant nightmare for us with their dirty habits. In our front garden, there is NO space where soil can be seen at all, (because they were doing their poo in six inches of soil showing between all the bushes, it cost a fortune to buy big Scottish cobbles to cover every single inch of soil).
I mistakenly thought the problem was solved, not so, because now they do their poo on top of the cobbles! I'll be totally honest, if I could catch them I'd stick them in a box and ask hubby to drive to the nearest Motorway and then release them at a Service station - then hope they couldn't find their way home.
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