Post by Bluetitkeeper on Mar 22, 2019 6:59:49 GMT
Sorry to say I have missed out on the first Robin brood this year. I have seen my local pair courtship feeding and the female darting down to a nest area in a different back garden. Maybe 2nd or 3rd brood I will get lucky, I think I need more leaf cover from my shrubs as I got a bit happy with the trim back last Autumn. When it's fully leafed shrubs, I will be good to go. Also, it's a new open-fronted box, as the last one was rotten, yet they still nested in it. Robin's are strange when it comes to nesting, I guess they love the neglected, natural look of the old box and don't like new boxes, as they get suspicious. Teapot on it's side is just as good!
Bumblebee box... for the skip, I inspected the nest today and the ants have taken control. No self respecting Queen bee will nest here as here reserves of nectar and pollen will disappear and the colony fail. These boxes failure rate are around 90% mark anyway! They are very fussy nesters.
The pair of BT's at my job are nest building away, (well female is!) nest must nearly be finished now.
A pair of Magpie's in my work have decided to build their nest in a Conifer just across from the BT's. Should be interesting, but twigs everywhere are on the ground, always messy nesters as they try to form the dome shape. I do have a lot of time for Magpie's, one of my favorite species to watch, despite what they can do to the eggs and chicks and what they did to my Robin chicks last year.
If I find any other nests, I will update with photos.
Bumblebee box... for the skip, I inspected the nest today and the ants have taken control. No self respecting Queen bee will nest here as here reserves of nectar and pollen will disappear and the colony fail. These boxes failure rate are around 90% mark anyway! They are very fussy nesters.
The pair of BT's at my job are nest building away, (well female is!) nest must nearly be finished now.
A pair of Magpie's in my work have decided to build their nest in a Conifer just across from the BT's. Should be interesting, but twigs everywhere are on the ground, always messy nesters as they try to form the dome shape. I do have a lot of time for Magpie's, one of my favorite species to watch, despite what they can do to the eggs and chicks and what they did to my Robin chicks last year.
If I find any other nests, I will update with photos.