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Post by Amanda on Feb 13, 2021 11:58:09 GMT
Hey Matt, are you making any boxes to sell?
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Post by matt on Feb 14, 2021 10:50:03 GMT
Hey Matt, are you making any boxes to sell? Hi Amanda, To be honest I've actually thrown out the molds that I made for these boxes, so I can't really see myself making any more! It's quite a fun (and frustrating!) project though, so if you fancy making your own I am happy to advise as best I can. We still don't know if they actually like them tho!
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Post by Amanda on Feb 14, 2021 13:44:42 GMT
Hey Matt, are you making any boxes to sell? Hi Amanda, To be honest I've actually thrown out the molds that I made for these boxes, so I can't really see myself making any more! It's quite a fun (and frustrating!) project though, so if you fancy making your own I am happy to advise as best I can. We still don't know if they actually like them tho! Hi Matt, Thanks for the reply.......I would love to try and make some, but I just don’t have the time to try, I’m working 40 hours a week and home schooling 🙈 Thanks for the offer of help though. You are getting interest in them so fingers crossed you get some nests this year 😀
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Post by matt on Feb 14, 2021 14:30:59 GMT
We're in the same boat here, Amanda! When all this dies down there'll be plenty of time, hopefully. Probably too late to get one up this year, anyway, so a good project for the off season
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Post by matt on Feb 15, 2021 14:46:30 GMT
Well very quiet indeed for the past week or so, with all the cold weather. It wasn't looking too promising this morning, either; despite the milder temps, it was breezy and raining early here in West Sussex. However, just when I had given up on the day, Tony did a late round of three of the boxes (very late - they never seem to visit past around 10am for me, and this was 12.30 or so), so he is still around at least! (I was actually getting a little worried, since I hadn't even seen him on the feeder all week, and it has been very cold..). Still very quiet on the starling/sparrow boxes though - no sign at all of them, and about a month ago they were looking in about 10x a day. I wonder when they start nesting normally?
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 15, 2021 15:18:44 GMT
Good news Matt I have pretty much watched all day here apart from about 45 mins,a miserable start with weather but we have a beautiful sunny day and not seen anything from the boxes. Have to wait until tomorrow now, probably with the good weather this week I will have an idea which box is chosen one
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 15, 2021 16:00:22 GMT
A lot milder here in North yorks, had a good few peeks through the hole but no venturing inside, its the same pair that has been in my garden since just before xmas, barely any other BTs around, I guess they must have got their territories sorted and now wait till nesting time. Things are really looking promising or your boxes Matt. Does Tony have a favourite box?
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Post by matt on Feb 15, 2021 16:11:13 GMT
Does Tony have a favourite box? I think he does Karen, its a 3 hole concrete one on the side of my shed, which is in the same location as the nest I had a couple of years ago. He has visited that one more often than any of the others (in and out about 5 times today), but also quickly pops his head into the others occasionally - he has actually been inside the two starling boxes as well, but only once. I think he has a good handle on the local amenities, put it that way! He has only brought his lady friend to his favourite box, as far as I know. She will have to be called Elvira if we do get a nest! (Michelle Pfeiffer's character in Scarface!).
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 15, 2021 16:14:07 GMT
Very promising Matt! Got everything crossed for you
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 15, 2021 16:15:18 GMT
Awesome Tony and Elvira I recall you saying Tony has been everywhere lol, made me chuckle well I will eat my hat if Tony doesnt set up camp at yours this year!!
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Post by matt on Feb 15, 2021 17:02:45 GMT
Thanks Karen! I am optimistic, as always, but I was optimistic last year, and the year before as well! Maybe a bit more action this year, though, so fingers crossed
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Post by matt on Feb 16, 2021 12:03:25 GMT
A couple of visits to the other 3 hole concrete box this morning. The first visit I am pretty sure wasn't Tony. Perhaps this is the female he brought into the other box a while back, or perhaps another bird entirely? No sign of Tony at this visit, but he could have been hanging around outside: Tony popped in half an hour later. Definitely has more prominent feathers on his head (a bit of a mini crest, almost), which is something I have associated with males in the past? Oh - and first frogspawn of the year in the pond this morning! Spring is coming
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 16, 2021 12:22:35 GMT
Good to know spring is not far away now, is that early for frog spawn Matt. Lots of nature in your garden, do you have children to share it with.
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Post by matt on Feb 16, 2021 12:30:34 GMT
I do have a couple of boys, although they are more interested in the playstation than the garden! I don't think this is particularly early for frogspawn around here (South coast) - we had it at almost exactly the same time last year I think. The pond is only a few years old, so this is only the second time we've had spawn in it. Seen a few other tweets around the place from others who have also had spawn already.
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Post by Ann70 on Feb 16, 2021 12:37:36 GMT
That’s good, lots of things growing in the garden now, good to know spring isn’t so far off now.Sure they will enjoy seeing the frogs jumping around.
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 16, 2021 14:07:04 GMT
Lovely pictures Matt, I hope it is a female, Very promising sign when a female checks out the box by herself instead of the male bringing her in.
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Post by matt on Feb 16, 2021 14:29:41 GMT
Hard to say, isn't it Paul? I have thought in the past that females have a slightly "rounder" head than the males, probably due to the less prominent feathers there, but I don't know.If so, then I reckon this one was a female. How common would it be for two males to be checking out the same boxes?
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Post by WildlifePaul on Feb 16, 2021 17:29:43 GMT
Hmm, Hard to say Matt! Could be either, we still have two male roosters in our garden at the moment, that will likely come to an end by the end of the month. Could also just be a female though, Its hard to know because they look the same. Either way its still looking promising for you, I hope to god this is the year you get a nest! I don't think you could do much more in regards to boxes. I have everything crossed for you
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Post by matt on Feb 16, 2021 17:33:22 GMT
Definitely nothing more I can do with the boxes Paul. It's up to the birds now!!
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 17, 2021 7:46:03 GMT
Great update Matt, I cleaned my tiny pond out yesterday(belfast sink sunk into the ground) and discovered a frog in there so I really hope I get my first spawn this year, up here it is much later though. Great to see so much interest in your boxes this year, really exciting!
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Post by matt on Feb 17, 2021 10:24:11 GMT
I think if you are seeing frogs in there at this time of year then you have a good chance of getting some spawn, Karen! Frogs were at it again last night (a bit of croaky pokey!), and more spawn in there this morning.
Had just about the identical set of visits to the *other* 3 hole concrete box this morning. First up, a bird which I am pretty sure is not Tony popped in for a brief visit. Half an hour later, Tony turned up to the same box and spent a good 5 minutes going in and out (most sustained visit yet). Curious as to what is going on here.. If I could work out some way of IDing the other bird then I'd have a better idea - be interesting to see if this is the bird that actually entered the box with Tony once. I'll see if I can dig some pics out for you Karen, since you are the master of the ID!
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 17, 2021 11:33:07 GMT
Croaky pokey that made me laugh! Yes dig some out we an have a go, your pics are so clear so we might id them.
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Post by matt on Feb 17, 2021 12:05:16 GMT
OK, here are a few stills from the time when they were both in the box together. Not brilliant shots tbh, but the best I have got. So this is definitely herself:
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Post by matt on Feb 17, 2021 12:10:49 GMT
This is the bird that came half an hour before Tony this morning: I'll try and get some more stills from yesterday as well.
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Post by karenupnorth on Feb 17, 2021 12:29:25 GMT
Could be the same female Matt, try and get some more pics of it looking don or on a side
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