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Post by WildlifePaul on May 7, 2020 10:38:44 GMT
I think they will be popular for you Matt, We know the birds really check a box out before picking it, Stone boxes or woodcrete will probably be preferred due to the strength of them! You can't exactly get stronger really could you? Like you said aswell with having woodpeckers about they're ideal for you.
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Post by suep on May 7, 2020 20:44:29 GMT
Wow , only just seen this Matt. Looks amazing. So clever. Am sure you will have a lot of takers if you decide to go into business lol. Great stuff Sue
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Post by sammi on May 11, 2020 7:09:03 GMT
Lockdown has had it's advantages🙂. It looks like a great project. I'll be watching further developments 👍
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Post by matt on May 21, 2020 10:14:57 GMT
Three hole (28mm) version, with a mix of 3-1-1 perlite, sand, cement. This is the best so far in terms of mix, really light (for concrete) and should be good insulation. Not a perfect finish on the surface but hard to achieve that with the perlite I think. Oh, and I messed up the measurement for the middle hole so it is slightly out of centre! Now to make a GT version in 32 mm and a plain, one hole starling box.
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 21, 2020 14:24:47 GMT
Brilliant Matt, Haven't seen you post in a while hope you and the family all doing good. I look forward to seeing the starling box when its done!
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Post by matt on May 21, 2020 15:02:12 GMT
Still checking on on everyone's progress Paul! My starlings have fledged, so all is a little quiet around here. Just working on the new boxes now for next year..
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Post by matt on May 21, 2020 15:54:20 GMT
A quick touch up with some cement/SBR slurry and it is looking pretty good!
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 21, 2020 16:03:33 GMT
Oh that looks really good Matt! Are you going full stone for next year or you going to do some wood aswell?
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Post by matt on May 21, 2020 16:11:13 GMT
I'm going to repurpose one of my existing wooden boxes as a robin box (cut the front in half), and then half 3x concrete: 28mm x 3 (this one), 32mm x 3 (if I can find 32mm pipe for the holes - for great tits) and then a starling box. That will be all, so less in total but hopefully more attractive boxes and targeting four different species! I've kind of given up on sparrows tbh, they haven't even looked inside any of my 32mm boxes and they are everywhere in the garden.. maybe they'd like a concrete one too?
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Post by WildlifePaul on May 21, 2020 16:17:20 GMT
Sounds like a great set up to me, Yes sparrows are harder than the BT's I think Matt, I think you have a real shot with the starling though. Are you going to cover the hole up over autumn and put the box in its place? Will be lovely if you get a starling nest on camera, You never really see them to be honest, I think Ben was the only one with them for years on the run. So I'll look forward to that and have my fingers crossed it happens for you.
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Post by suep on May 30, 2020 19:08:59 GMT
That 3 hole box looks amazing Matt. Are you having a wooden roof so you can mount a camera? Am very envious of this. If it wasn’t for the fact that probably won’t have use for one next year, I would be the first on the list to order one Matt. Wonderful job. Can’t wait to see it in action Sue
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Post by matt on May 31, 2020 22:17:17 GMT
That 3 hole box looks amazing Matt. Are you having a wooden roof so you can mount a camera? Am very envious of this. If it wasn’t for the fact that probably won’t have use for one next year, I would be the first on the list to order one Matt. Wonderful job. Can’t wait to see it in action Sue Wooden top is the plan, Sue, so I can customise it to fit the camera. I'll be making a few more three hole versions (until the mold packs up, probably), so I might end up with a few spares! Nest on the list though is the starling box but a bit time strapped at the moment. Will post a pic when I have made the lid, although it might not be for a while as there is no real hurry.
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Post by greatbluehopeful on Jun 3, 2020 16:06:31 GMT
Just catching up on this...what a great project.
I bet you're really enjoying it. What worthwhile way to spend your time.
Great engineering!
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 18, 2020 12:27:59 GMT
You started working on the starling box yet Matt? Looking forward to seeing that one!
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Post by matt on Jun 21, 2020 23:03:37 GMT
Yes I've done one Paul, will post a pic tomorrow if I remember! Not been getting the time to pop in here as often over the last couple of weeks.
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Post by matt on Jun 22, 2020 9:08:40 GMT
Here's the starling box Paul. 45mm hole, inside has turned out 13.5cm diameter, was aiming for 14cm which is the same size as the very popular Schwegler starling box. Hopefully they'll still take to one a fraction smaller, although it does look a little tight for a clutch of nearly grown starlings! Hole is 45mm. Just wondering now about whether some sort of perch/ledge is required under the hole, as this is something I have seen on the commercial boxes for starlings:
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 22, 2020 15:13:53 GMT
Looks BRILLIANT Matt! I don't think so regarding something outside, I don't know if you seen but I ended up getting the gardenature starling box, They sent it as a gift over the little springwatch thing. So I got picked something and because mine had zero interest I remember Benn saying his starling box that was used for 7 years straight was a gardenature one. He then swapped it to box he made and they didn't take to it sadly, i'll post pictures of my box now bloody massive can see size different to sky control haha but it doesn't have anything outside or nothing. Pretty much like yours inside of it is bigger I think.
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Post by matt on Jun 22, 2020 19:17:31 GMT
Cool - nice win! If you get a moment, I would be interested in internal measurements, also hole size and distance from internal floor. My starling box is pretty big - doesn't really look it in the pic, but it has a decent height on it. There will be a wooden lid as well, so it will be a bit taller when it is done. I think pretty much the measurements for mine are the same as the Schwegler one, which is supposed to be quite successful for them. Hopefully we will all get some starlings next year! Loads around me, so fingers crossed. On another note, the sparrows in the hole in my side wall are back with another nest, and haven't even looked in the box I put next to the hole. I never actually blocked it up though, which I should have. still surprised they didn't even check the box out once - the video would have triggered if they had.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 22, 2020 19:27:38 GMT
You can tell your starling box is large matt, It towers over the tit boxes and I am guessing they are probably large aswell! I'll get some measures for you in the next hour and edit them into this post.
From the very bottom of the hole to the inside base of the box its just over 27cms Matt
The base inside is 14cm by 13.5cms, 14cm is from the back wall to the front and 13.5cm is across from side wall to side wall.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 22, 2020 20:11:30 GMT
Also matt touching on what you said about the sparrow not looking into the box, Doesn't surprise me to be honest. None of them are bothered about my boxes, I have loads of them in the garden around 50 plus daily and only have 1 nest in the boxes each year they don't even bother with my boxes.
My current starling box hasn't had any joy, Not even a visit from a starling (that I have seen) I think with you have a nest site on your house it is going to really up your chances. Be lovely to watch starling we don't see at all on here about from when benn had them yearly.
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Post by matt on Jun 22, 2020 20:39:25 GMT
Yeah, funny old things these birds Paul! Thanks for the measurements. Mine is a little smaller - 22.5cm to the middle of the hole, 20cm to the bottom (both from inside floor). That's still a little taller than the Schwegler I think so I'm hoping it will be OK. Internal diameter is just over 13.5cm. Here you can see it next to one of the tit boxes for comparison. Going to make a couple of more of these since the mold is holding up OK. Have to work out how to ship one up to Merseyside! Any idea how close together starlings can tolerate? Thinking of a box on each side of the house to start with.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 22, 2020 21:49:13 GMT
If you want to ship one of your 3 hole boxes to me Matt i'll happily replace one of my boxes with it over autumn, Be interesting to see what they choose to be honest. I know your you are making the lids to be good for housing a camera and led light so I'd have no problem doing a box swap! For heavy items I normally ship with DPD you can do it on their website its only £7.79 for up to 10KG but you need to print the label out and take it your nearest "dpd pick up shop" mine is a rowlands pharmacy about a mile away although there is many of them in my area but that is closest. Or you can get it picked up from yours and brought to mine for £15 i'll happily give you the money for shipping back of course! I have found DPD best regarding price and weight its a next day service you see so can't really go wrong.
Regarding Starling, I haven't really researched them much tbh Matt. Maybe they will nest closer than the likes of blue tits etc? but less closer than sparrows, I'll have to do abit of research into them.
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Post by matt on Jun 22, 2020 22:18:49 GMT
Sounds like a plan Paul, we'll work something out. I'll consult on the lid - you probably need something different to me for your camera/lights. Working on the lids is the next step, shouldn't be too hard. Plant for next year is just a downward point camera from the top (won't get holes in as well), but then have a mobile phone setup (like I had on the feeder) pointing at the holes from the outside, so two cameras/one box. Could get some good footage that way I reckon! To be honest I probably enjoy making the boxes and setting up the cameras as much as watching the birds, which is just as well as I would have given up by now otherwise.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Jun 23, 2020 10:53:44 GMT
I imagine that the lid to mine will have be difference yes Matt, You know what cameras I used and the led lighting so hopefully makes it little easier for you. My cameras are just the standard gardenature ones - gardenature.co.uk/product/700tvl-camera-onlylight - www.green-feathers.co.uk/products/daytime-led-lamp-for-bird-boxesLooking forward to seeing how you do the lids to house all the stuff, Can you imagine your box gets picked in my garden over my usual ones? I'd actually love that to happen! Sounds like a great plan Matt, The outside camera allows you to see the fledgling aswell so that would be PERFECT! I wish was like you in able to create my own boxes, Sadly for me they would look bloody shocking if it tried! birds be scared of it!!
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Post by matt on Jun 23, 2020 11:31:20 GMT
I'll have to consult with you when I start working on the lids. Camera shouldn't be an issue at the top, pointing down, but light will be a bit of a squeeze. Measurements on the site say 9cm long - does that include everything (i.e. screw holes). Will fit across the top, but might have to go behind the camera a bit. Be interesting to see how you have it all configured in your current boxes.
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