Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2019 20:32:29 GMT
Cheers everybody! Unfortunately there are pros and cons of living high up on the Moorlands. Lots of great views, beautiful walks and snow scenes but fewer trees. This means there are lower densities of nesting birds but perveseley more magpie and sparrowhawk predators!.
Whilst there are years when we have had blue tits, Great tits, Robins , Blackbirds and Dunnocks nesting there are others that are sparse. I think this year will be one of the latter given how few birds are using our feeders this Winter.
I know I've never mentioned the Martins before. Dunno why but the site mostly caters for lover of Blue tits and camera boxes. The Martins have been a fixture since I erected the concrete double nest site in early 2000. Obviously too small to fit a camera in them but they often raise 2 - 3 broods a season. Once we had them feeding young into October! It is brilliant when they arrive as to me it truly signals Spring is here! The mature birds come first (April last year) and they quickly establish ownership of the sites they want. They seem to prefer the artificial sties as our neighbours put up some and these are always the first ot be claimed. The younger breeders then start to build using mud around the end of May.
Just wish I'd have put up the Swift boxes 20 years ago when we had a large colony in the neighbourhood. Might take a few years to attract some back..
Whilst there are years when we have had blue tits, Great tits, Robins , Blackbirds and Dunnocks nesting there are others that are sparse. I think this year will be one of the latter given how few birds are using our feeders this Winter.
I know I've never mentioned the Martins before. Dunno why but the site mostly caters for lover of Blue tits and camera boxes. The Martins have been a fixture since I erected the concrete double nest site in early 2000. Obviously too small to fit a camera in them but they often raise 2 - 3 broods a season. Once we had them feeding young into October! It is brilliant when they arrive as to me it truly signals Spring is here! The mature birds come first (April last year) and they quickly establish ownership of the sites they want. They seem to prefer the artificial sties as our neighbours put up some and these are always the first ot be claimed. The younger breeders then start to build using mud around the end of May.
Just wish I'd have put up the Swift boxes 20 years ago when we had a large colony in the neighbourhood. Might take a few years to attract some back..