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Post by suep on Apr 7, 2020 11:29:18 GMT
Feel your pain Matt, after my excitement I have not seen a blue tit anywhere near. My guess is my box was a second choice and they have opted for another one. Don’t think my dirty rooster messing the box every day has helped matters , and last night he didn’t turn up either - just when it seems too late. So wish you would get a nest Matt as know how much effort you have put in with your garden and this forum - seems so unfair. 😢 Sue
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Post by Ann70 on Apr 7, 2020 11:36:35 GMT
Hi Matt and Sue I'm feeling your pain also, the days are ticking by, very little happening. on two occasions i have looked up and saw a blue tit go into the sideview box, and another time just on the front of the other box. im beginning to think he is a lone male .Plenty of sitings of a pr flying about but not seen much of them together, last i saw was about 3 days ago checking another box im sure nesting must have begun, but i have no idea where. its so frustrating and yet I've not seen any with nesting material fly off anywhere. so puzzling indeed if i should see the wren ( I wish ) he will have plenty to chose from
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Post by petesbox on Apr 8, 2020 13:53:41 GMT
Yes i think i agree with Paul try less LED's next time, i have the same bulbs as paul and some of the others on the forum the 'GREEN FEATHERS' lights but in my GT's box there only 1 - 2 of those led's shining through a small aperture in the false ceiling towards the front of the box about 15mm square which is enough light to turn off the infrared lights on the camera and also light up the box. Last year i made my own light system which lit up most of the ceiling but ended turning the lights off cos i thought it was to bright, i think the light setup was similar to yours. So what i'm saying is next time try one point of light coming from the ceiling like i have done this year.
I COPY/PASTE THIS FROM KARENS THREAD
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Post by matt on Apr 8, 2020 16:21:56 GMT
Yes i think i agree with Paul try less LED's next time, i have the same bulbs as paul and some of the others on the forum the 'GREEN FEATHERS' lights but in my GT's box there only 1 - 2 of those led's shining through a small aperture in the false ceiling towards the front of the box about 15mm square which is enough light to turn off the infrared lights on the camera and also light up the box. Last year i made my own light system which lit up most of the ceiling but ended turning the lights off cos i thought it was to bright, i think the light setup was similar to yours. So what i'm saying is next time try one point of light coming from the ceiling like i have done this year. I COPY/PASTE THIS FROM KARENS THREAD Interesting idea Pete, but I am not convinced - I think the Green Feathers lights are a lot brighter than mine, even though I have more individual LEDs. Hard to say for sure, because the tech spec on the GF lights is definitely wrong, since they quote 12v/40mA and 1300 lumens, which would be about 2600 lumens per watt and about 10x the most efficient LED ever made!! So assume they got the power draw wrong but the lumens correct, then they are about 3x as bright as mine. The one point of light thing might make a difference, although I'm not sure why. At the moment I have an opal plastic diffuser between the LEDs and the box, so it looks more like a light "ceiling" than a load of individual LEDs.
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Post by petesbox on Apr 8, 2020 16:47:12 GMT
Its really hard to say whether the lights put them off or not as the box i am using this year with lighting i used two years ago without lighting and a GT nest.
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Post by matt on Apr 8, 2020 16:48:49 GMT
Yeah. It's hard to say what makes them choose one box over another, but one thing is for sure: they do certainly check them all out, and then one way or another they make a decision. It would be great to have a better understanding of what exactly it is they like about certain boxes - whether it is the box itself, or the position etc.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 8, 2020 16:54:50 GMT
At the moment all my boxes in use are facing South Matt, Its the same every year for me, Sparrow box is south (used 5 years running now) My tree box is south facing (probably my most used box over the years had a nest every year init with different boxes even a log box at one point in 2016) and the other box is over the front along the wall from sparrow thats had 3 blue tit nests in over the past 5 years again south.
My north boxes don't get touched, I have had 1 nest in my north facing boxes over the years.
Facing south is dangerous due to strong sun (if no shade) but my sparrow box and BT box in front are right under the eves so they get full shade and the tree box is in full shade when the leaves grow anyway.
I have boxes facing every direction but it is always my south boxes that get picked.
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Post by matt on Apr 8, 2020 17:41:54 GMT
Ah - that's interesting Paul. Two of my boxes face north, and three east - all done on the advice of RSPB site. Food for thought! Might move a few boxes about next year and see what happens, although I don't have that many good south facing positions tbh. Have a couple of options on the west though.
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Post by greatbluehopeful on Apr 9, 2020 8:38:53 GMT
At my last house, one faced north and the other north east as as you know, I had absolutely no interest for 8+ years. Probably down to lack of foliage though I believe in my case. Too built up in the area perhaps?
At this house, I have the long view and Aldi boxes East facing and side view one North facing....
My two East facing boxes are get the most attention always, with the long view one with a half built nest in it....
I could count on my hand the times a bird looked into the North box....rarely even went into it. So next year, if nothing happens in the next week or so, I'm going to take a punt at moving that North facing side view to a South facing but shaded aspect.
Perhaps where we live in Uk/Ireland, its just too cold to have a north facing box?
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Post by matt on Apr 9, 2020 10:00:33 GMT
First quick visit in two weeks, which I won't read anything into, but I did grab a couple of nice stills from the video. Pretty sure this is still the male, with his tufty head - looking a bit less well preened than normal, as well!
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Post by Amanda on Apr 9, 2020 10:15:20 GMT
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Post by suep on Apr 9, 2020 10:20:43 GMT
Oh that is so good Matt, keeping everything crossed for you Sue
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Post by Ann70 on Apr 9, 2020 10:21:48 GMT
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 9, 2020 10:43:00 GMT
He could be looking for a place for his second female though Matt, So although your hope won't raise to much its still good hes had a look into the box he knows its there if he gets more females.
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Post by matt on Apr 9, 2020 11:10:15 GMT
He could be looking for a place for his second female though Matt, So although your hope won't raise to much its still good hes had a look into the box he knows its there if he gets more females. I remember last year when I could actually see the female flying around with nesting material, and the male was still making the odd visit to our boxes which obviously didn't result in a nest, so no hopes raised by this visit but I thought the pics were nice at least!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 9, 2020 11:22:37 GMT
Yes I understand Matt, My male is doing the same thing at the moment, All my boxes getting daily checks by him. Even the boxes on peoples walls that council put up, He is on the ball i'll give him that ! You never know though it could lead to something, I wouldn't give up hope for another 2 weeks just incase a second female shows.
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Post by greatbluehopeful on Apr 9, 2020 13:36:55 GMT
Oh I really hope so....bit of hope anyway to be going on!!!
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Post by sammi on Apr 10, 2020 8:45:13 GMT
Fingers crossed Matt. Your pics are so perfect. You can see such detail.❤
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 10, 2020 13:51:23 GMT
Any visits today Matt?
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Post by matt on Apr 10, 2020 15:39:41 GMT
Nothing today Paul - I will post up here if anything happens!
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Post by elle on Apr 14, 2020 11:30:04 GMT
My fingers are tightly crossed for you Matt Elle xx
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 14, 2020 11:54:42 GMT
Still nothing Matt? (I know you said you'd post if any activity) But no visits even outside the boxes or nothing?
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Post by matt on Apr 14, 2020 22:31:25 GMT
Still nothing Matt? (I know you said you'd post if any activity) But no visits even outside the boxes or nothing? Yeah a couple more visits Paul, even a couple inside by the male, one where he was obviously trying to call the female in again but she didn't appear, and then another where the female had a very tentative look from the outside but didn't go in..
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Post by WildlifePaul on Apr 14, 2020 23:32:29 GMT
Never know Matt could be trying to get a second female into your boxes. Have to see what the week brings for you
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Post by matt on Apr 15, 2020 8:35:00 GMT
Well you never know Paul, I will leave the cameras on for a few more weeks at least. First visit to a sideview box this morning in about 3 weeks (other visits were to old boxes). I have rotated the photo for Pete
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