Nest box survey

Following on from a discussion in Karen's thread, I thought I would make a new topic here to discuss putting together a survey that we could all take (and share with others to take) that might help give us a better idea of what these - sometimes incredibly frustrating! - birds are looking for in their ideal homes.

I plan to create this survey using an online tool such as Survey Monkey, so that data can be collected in a form that is easy to analyse. So I am not suggesting that you answer these questions below now, but instead to take a look at the questions to see if you can think of anything that I have missed. I don't want to make it too complicated, but I do want to make sure that enough data is captured to make the survey interesting. If I can create the survey, then we can hopefully share it beyond this forum and get even more data, and the more data we get the more useful it will be for all of us! Hopefully we can help to put the frustration of not getting a nest in our camera boxes behind us...

So, again, please don't answer these questions now, but have a think about any other pertinent questions that we can ask as part of the survey.


How many nest boxes do you have?

For each nest box, please answer the following questions:


Nest box construction

• Material: wood, woodcrete/concrete, other (specify)

• If wood, how thick?

• Hole size (mm)

• Hole Shape circle/other (specify)

• Does the hole have a hole plate fitted?

• Hole (centre) height from inside base (cm)

• Internal dimensions w/d/h

• Window?

• Perch outside hole?

Camera/Lights

• Camera fitted?

• Lights fitted?


Nestbox Location

• Direction facing N/E/S/W

• Shade none/partial/full

• Height from ground

• Location House/Outbuilding/Tree/Other (specify)

• Nearby vegetation cover none/some/lots

• Traffic (human) low/some/busy

• is your garden frequented by pets or predators no/cat/dog/squirrel/sparrowhawk/other (specify)


Nest box use

• How long has the nest box been installed?

• In how many years has the nest box been occupied?

• How many years from original installation until first occupancy?

• Do birds roost in the nest box over winter?

• Species bluetit/great tit/other (specify)

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This is my box Matt

Wood

Thickness/Front 18mm the rest 15mm

32mm hole

Hole shape / Circle

No hole plate

125mm from bottom of hole to base

W 115mm x D 145mm x H 240mm ( height is from bottom to false ceiling )

No window

No perch

camera / yes
 
Lights / yes

Facing north

In the Shade

Hole height about 5 - 5 and a half foot

 on a Wall at bottom of garden

Vegetation / Lots

Human/ Some

Cats Lots / Squirrels some times / sparrowhawk rarely

installed about 7-8 years

Most years occupied

First year occupied

do not always get a rooster over winter

Great tit and Blue tit

Hope this helps Matt.