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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 2, 2021 12:16:38 GMT
I was thinking just the same about how different the days are with the birds,I’ve only seen a very quick visit to the box about half an hour ago,
I did see activity in the early afternoon yesterday so maybe it will happen today
The pr of great tits are regular to the feeders, they have looked at boxes but a good while ago, I think they nest in the trees, they normally come for the sheep’s wool I have hanging up
I wouldn’t think they would nest in an open box that’s just my opinion, maybe they will prove us wrong
Glad your pr of blue tits are about again
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Post by YorksherLass on Mar 2, 2021 12:27:42 GMT
 Matt - I'm as pleased as you are that you've seen Tony & Elvira again. 
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Post by matt on Mar 2, 2021 12:29:45 GMT
Glad your pr of blue tits are about again I'm still hopeful that they have made their decision, and are just taking a break/fattening up a bit before getting on with things - hence no need to keep checking out the box! We'll see, but I doubt they have actually started building anywhere else yet, since it is still quite early. I'll worry a bit more when we start to get a lot of reports on here of nest building. |
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 2, 2021 12:39:03 GMT
Yes it’s reassuring knowing no other nests have started but as you say it is early still, I could do with them being active to liven the grey sluggish day up.
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Post by matt on Mar 2, 2021 13:35:32 GMT
Well maybe I spoke too soon - a bit of activity over lunch time from the sparrows! The male once again entered the box for quite a while (a couple of minutes), whilst calling to the female, who was perched just outside the hole. Eventually the male left, and the female poked her head through the hole a couple of times - but didn't go right in. This is the furthest inside she has been so far, so hopefully she likes what she sees..  |
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Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 2, 2021 13:45:59 GMT
Fingers crossed the blue tits have made their mind up on one of your boxes Matt  Looking good for the sparrows! That will keep you entertained if the blue tits let you down. |
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Post by matt on Mar 2, 2021 13:53:39 GMT
Yep - I would have been happy with "just" a sparrow nest, or a bluetit nest, or anything really! So its all a bonus, if it happens. Starlings popped their heads in to both the starling boxes as well today, so there could be a bit of competition there if the sparrows don't hurry up!
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 2, 2021 14:02:11 GMT
Good to hear Matt, you will end with a least one nest if not more, will be interesting to follow the journey
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Post by matt on Mar 2, 2021 14:23:52 GMT
Here's a pic of the great tit that visited the "robin" box this morning. I must admit that I a little surprised that a robin (or wren) hasn't even ventured into this box for a look, but they haven't. The great tit found this box within a day of it going up last year, and used to pop in daily - for whatever reason. Funnily enough, although we do have this great tit around the garden quite often, it has never once looked in any of the other boxes.  |
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Post by sammi on Mar 2, 2021 16:53:45 GMT
 Beautiful great tit Matt. Our robin box seems to be a regular place for a great tit to pop in. The pair of robins spend a lot of time in the bushes around the box so I know they know it's there  Its the same here with the great tits. One year I hope they will use one of our boxes. That's the main reason we have so many  Our box with the sparrow interest is 32mm we have deduced. In fact I think all our boxes are the same size now. The older ones we had up were 28mm. I'm tempted to reduce at least one to 28mm again.
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Post by matt on Mar 7, 2021 16:09:48 GMT
Anyone else finding it very quiet at the moment? Beautiful weather the last couple of days, albeit cold nights (heavy frost this morning), but not a peep in the boxes. The sparrows and starlings seem to have disappeared entirely - doesn't even seem to be that much activity around the garden. Having never had sparrows before, I don't really know how they go about things. Do they choose, leave and then come back, or just get on with it?
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 7, 2021 16:18:39 GMT
Hi Matt I’ve took a step back the last 4 days from sitting for long periods waiting to see the blue tits at the box and not had the camera on either. We have had chilly days but dry and today we have had sunshine I’ve been out in the garden and occasionally looked at the box,  NOTHING and not so many visits to the feeders. They are singing well in the trees It is painfully quiet, will be glad to see at least a visit so I know the interest is still there. I can’t answer about the sparrows,and their pattern of events |
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Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 7, 2021 17:23:54 GMT
Visits are still busy here Matt, I do have females roosting in the boxes though so visits to clean them out etc so could be why the activity is strong here.
Sparrows are nothing like blue tits, Normally when the box is picked the female starts roosting and material is brought in.
well thats been the case here for the 5 years they have nested, Couldn't tell you about starling since I have never seen them in action.
Things always seem to slow down for you during March though don't they? Pretty much the normal pattern so wouldn't be too worried about it.
Still a few weeks yet before we see nest building from the blue tits, I haven't even had the first blue tit material yet with all the visits and females roosting in the boxes.
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Post by matt on Mar 7, 2021 17:30:03 GMT
Yes Paul, always slowed in March but only ever come back once, in April I'm pretty sure they are not nest building around here yet, and weather did take a sudden turn for the colder after a near week of spring like weather, so perhaps they have thought better of it. Stormy weather coming in this week as well, so wouldn't expect to see a whole lot. Maybe the sparrows decided on somewhere else - shame if so, but at least they had a good look, which is more than years past. Maybe next year! No idea really on the starlings - I do have a pic of chicks near fledging in a nest in our wall last year, and this was late May. That would suggest they don't lay until April some time, so hopefully still time there as well. There's loads of starlings around the place, goodness knows where they all nest if they've got better options than our starling boxes to choose from! |
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Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 7, 2021 17:54:20 GMT
I wouldn't lose hope on the sparrows yet, they can start nesting anytime, even if you do miss the first round of nesting they have up to 3 broods. The last two years I have had sparrows overtake my box in may and harm the chicks and sadly last year kill them and remove them! So sparrows could be back at anytime! Change in weather is likely the issue, Plus the trees! Some buds are turning green at the ends near ours at the moment, Always see our female blue tit whos roosting in the tree box checking out the buds on the tree that box is in. Even when I do get the first material early I don't see any major next building until 20th march onwards so still 2 weeks before we get to that stage, I really hope this is the year you get a nest! I have everything crossed for you  judging by all your activity it is certainly the most promising I have seen in your boxes over the last few years. |
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Post by matt on Mar 7, 2021 18:33:39 GMT
Interesting you mention the trees, Paul. I had a theory - I think I might have gone about it last year! - that my bluetits base their nesting time on the two big oak trees nearby coming into leaf. Certainly, that is where they seem to spend most of their time foraging for the chicks, so it would make sense to time things around that. The oaks come into leaf somewhat later than most of the other trees around here, so if a bird is using a different sort of tree to forage, they might go for an earlier nest. Just a theory!
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 7, 2021 19:00:49 GMT
Matt I usually know once the blossom tree is in flower and leaves on the other trees near by then the blue tits start nesting here I’ve always followed that theory here, think it’s waiting to know there is plenty of food available in trees as well, Looking at the blossom it’s close to flowering, just need more sunshine, that is only going to be mon and tuesday then we have very stormy weather on Wednesday and Thursday Somehow the birds know about the weather before us  |
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 8, 2021 12:38:30 GMT
Hi Matt
Is it all quiet there for you today
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Post by matt on Mar 8, 2021 13:54:11 GMT
Yes, completely quiet here. Another nice day, as well - no wind, sun is out, although we did have quite a hard frost again overnight.
I'm not even seeing birds on the feeders, which does seem a bit strange. They must all be off doing something more important!
Any action with you?
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 8, 2021 14:24:41 GMT
Nothing at all, feeders are quiet also, going to be a long couple of weeks of waiting if it’s quiet like this.it’s the same every year and we still put ourselves through all this wondering
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Post by matt on Mar 8, 2021 14:27:14 GMT
Nothing at all, feeders are quiet also, going to be a long couple of weeks of waiting if it’s quiet like this.it’s the same every year and we still put ourselves through all this wondering I know, crazy really! It is just what happens (apart from to Paul!), and yet it is always worrying. I guess during this quiet period you just don't really know if they are going to come back, or go somewhere else. The truth is, it's all part of the fun as well I suppose! |
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 8, 2021 14:33:21 GMT
Yes, it’s the unknown that bugs us the most but as you say it’s all part of the journey with the birds. |
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Post by springtime 66 on Mar 9, 2021 12:15:09 GMT
Hi Matt
Have you had any visits today ?
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Post by matt on Mar 9, 2021 12:45:23 GMT
Nothing so far today Ann!
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Post by matt on Mar 9, 2021 13:53:19 GMT
So a really late (in the day) visit from Tony and, I assume, Elvira. It's very rare for me to get a visit after about 11am, so this was good to see - and to see that they are both still together. Elvira didn't venture right inside, though - this is as close as she got.  |
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Matt - I'm as pleased as you are that you've seen Tony & Elvira again. 
Beautiful great tit Matt. Our robin box seems to be a regular place for a great tit to pop in. The pair of robins spend a lot of time in the bushes around the box so I know they know it's there 
Its the same here with the great tits. One year I hope they will use one of our boxes. That's the main reason we have so many 
NOTHING and not so many visits to the feeders. They are singing well in the trees 
judging by all your activity it is certainly the most promising I have seen in your boxes over the last few years.