Bird house up but no birds :-(

BenEadir

Hi all,

I bought a bird house similar to the one below in Aldi last year and put it up about 2.2 metres high on the wall of my shed about 50cm down from the roof. It was too late when I put it up (July) so wasn't surprised when it wasn't used by some nesting birds. I also put up a seed feeder like the one below about 2m high just outside our back window. It's about 10 metres away from the bird house which is as far away as our garden will allow them to be. (I read that feeders and bird houses should not be side by side or close to each other.

I still don't have any birds occupying the bird house (as far as I can ascertain) but just yesterday I saw a red breasted robin eating the seeds so I'm hoping he/she might occupy the bird house or at least other birds will get to see her eating the seeds and they too will start using it and hopefully something will claim possession of the house to have their young.

Is there anything I can do to encourage use of the house? Is there any other advice you can give me?

There are a fair few magpies around so I really want other birds to frequent the garden but perhaps they are 'afraid' of the magpies??

As you can tell I really haven't a clue about this so go easy on me

Ben

Kess73

Unlikely that a robin would use such a birdhouse as they tend to favour open fronted ones.

Looking at that house I am guessing that the hole is about 28mm in diameter? If so then you would be hoping for blue tits, great tits or maybe coal tits. If it is a 32mm hole then the same three plus the likes of house sparrows would be the most likely birds to show interest.

Personally I prefer to put my nest boxes in more shltered positions than what you have, but if you have to put it on a tree then avoid having it face a southerly direction (which I think you may have). An open position that gets a lot of direct sunlight is no good for a nest box as the insides get far too hot on sunny days and would not be safe locations for new batches. Best to have it positioned in a North facing spot on your tree. The easiest way to tell which side of a tree is North facing is to look at which side of the tree has the most moss growing on it.


Once you have put the box in what appears to be the best possible location that you can find, then it really is a lottery as to whether of not birds will use it. I have had nest boxes that were used in the first breeding season that they were up for, but I have also had nest boxes that took a year or two to attract lodgers.


Good placing and patience. That is pretty much the key imho.

There are a lot of very knowledgable folk on this forum though, and I am sure that a number of them will be happy to give you some advice based on their own experiences.

Best of look with the nest box, and I hope that in a few months you will be posting to tell us about youyr new tenants.




EDIT: Oops just noticed that you have it on your shed and not on a tree, I read your post too quickly and the pic made me think it was on a tree.


The same advice about placing the box so that it faces north applies, but there would also be things to take into account like how often do you use the shed as noise could put birds off.

You are correct to keep the feeder away from the box. Any birds that use the box will defend it, so a feeder beside a nest box would only serve to have the male of the nesting pair trying to see off the other birds constantly and using up his energy.

BenEadir

Hey Kess, how's trix? I'm on the LFC thread all the time so well used to reading your posts!! Great weekend for you to tip home for the match. I was at the Bolton match last week with my young lad (aged 11) and it was depressing. Over on the 8am ferry and back on the 2:40am ferry. First time doing it. Ferry back is tough but great day and will be doing it again.

The bird house is actually in a fairly sheltered location under the roof of my shed and it is actually (by pure chance) facing due North so it won't get any direct sunlight.

I'm not sure how wide the hole is on the one I have, I guess I'd better measure it.

Cheers
PS Did you hear the one about Kenny asking the FA to give us another Manchester team to play in the cups and the replied "There are no more Manchester teams"!! We'll settle for Brighton at home.

BenEadir

Hi all,

Given the above is there any merit in buying a couple more of these & mounting them beside the one I already have? Do tits like to nest in proximity to each other (within a few feet) or not? Would doing this enhance or reduce the likelihood of the bird houses being occupied soon?

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_20394.htm?WT.mc_id=2012-02-03-10-18

The one I already have is the one with the small hole in it.

Ben

V_Moth

BenThere wrote: »

Hi all,

Given the above is there any merit in buying a couple more of these & mounting them beside the one I already have? Do tits like to nest in proximity to each other (within a few feet) or not? Would doing this enhance or reduce the likelihood of the bird houses being occupied soon?

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_20394.htm?WT.mc_id=2012-02-03-10-18

The one I already have is the one with the small hole in it.

Ben

No, Blue and Great Tits are very territorial and generally don't nest near each other. Depending on the size of your garden, it may be an idea to a nest box at the top and another at the end of the garden. This may increase the chances of the birds choosing one that seems suitable to them, but it will be unlikely that both are occupied.

artieanna

There was a great thread on here last year dedicated to nest boxes but you might have to search a bit to get what you want.. see link

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=70239798

Your box to me seems ideal for blue/coal tits. Needs to be up four to five metres off the ground also if there is ivy or some green growth to screen the nestbox so its not wide open for predators (magpies, hawks for eg) to access. Don't put boxes beside each other they won't use them space them out well.

I had great sucess with my first boxes last year, three out of a total of four were in use during summer. Great feeling!

enjoy

Shrubz

I had a bird house in my Garden for the last five years and only last year a pair of Blue Tits nested and succesfully had 5 chicks. They are also checking it out this year already

So maybe if you are patient

BenEadir

Shrubz wrote: »

I had a bird house in my Garden for the last five years and only last year a pair of Blue Tits nested and succesfully had 5 chicks. They are also checking it out this year already

So maybe if you are patient

Jaysus, I hope to get a result before 5 years!!!

Just put up two more bird houses up today (one more like the one in the picture for tits and one open style for robins etc) I kept them as far apart as possible and at different elevations.

I also put up another feeder with energy balls so now have one with seeds and one with energy balls.

I reckon that's about all I can do so fingers crossed some nice birds will accept my hospitality soon.

Ben

Shrubz

BenThere wrote: »

Jaysus, I hope to get a result before 5 years!!!

Just put up two more bird houses up today (one more like the one in the picture for tits and one open style for robins etc) I kept them as far apart as possible and at different elevations.

I also put up another feeder with energy balls so now have one with seeds and one with energy balls.

I reckon that's about all I can do so fingers crossed some nice birds will accept my hospitality soon.

Ben

Well I know I put up my bird house up too low, but they still used it last year. They are flying in and out at the moment so fingers-crossed.

slowburner

Birds won't use the boxes if their situation could make them vulnerable to predators.
If there is even the remotest chance that rats or cats could get near the boxes, they will not be occupied.

You have to admire the birds' ability to assess the potential dangers.

Sup_Ben?

I now have three and they are all at least 2.5 metres off the ground. I basically put two of them as high up on the selected wall as possible but about 1 metre down from the top so cats can't get at them. The third one is about 4 metres up at the apex of the roof of my house. (I installed it hanging out my 1st floor bedroom window. It's about 6 inces down from and underneath the protruding gutter so should be nicely sheltered and no hope of being attacked by rats or cats.

Fingers crossed at least one of them will get occupied in the next few weeks.

Ben

BenEadir

Guys,

What is the typical date range when tits & robins claim/occupy nest boxes? I'm new to this & realise I may end up with no birds occupying my new boxes this year but if I knew the opportunity was gone at least I'd stop wondering about it for this year at least :-(

slowburner

BenThere wrote: »

Guys,

What is the typical date range when tits & robins claim/occupy nest boxes? I'm new to this & realise I may end up with no birds occupying my new boxes this year but if I knew the opportunity was gone at least I'd stop wondering about it for this year at least :-(

They've been busy at the nest boxes in this part of the world for the past couple of weeks, so you might be a little late.
That said, I put up boxes some years ago that were far too late, according to conventional wisdom, and they still got used.
So I would say put 'em up anyway. If they don't get used this year, they'll be used next year, but don't be at all surprised if they do get used this year.

shawnee

Blue tits often build in a number of nest boxes before deciding to lay in one. I had a few up over the last few years without success and last year moved one to the front of the house on a tree. Around late March I noticed a bit of activity and sure enough I had a nesting pair there. Really enjoyed the experience of seeing them right through the feeding period and saw the young uns flying off. Have put up another in the same area this time, think there are a few cats round the back and that was putting them off But no harm to move them around if they don't nest in the first year or two and the more you have the better chance of a hit.

BenEadir

Thanks guys,

I've had two tit suitable boxes (the ones with the small holes in them) and one open faced nest for robins up for over a month now but so far no sign of any activity in them. I guess I'll just have to bide my time and keep my fingers crossed.

Apart from seeing birds actually going in and out of them is there any way to suss out whether they are getting any use?

Ben

shawnee

BenThere wrote: »

Thanks guys,

I've had two tit suitable boxes (the ones with the small holes in them) and one open faced nest for robins up for over a month now but so far no sign of any activity in them. I guess I'll just have to bide my time and keep my fingers crossed.

Apart from seeing birds actually going in and out of them is there any way to suss out whether they are getting any use?

Ben

Not really , dangerous to check if there is nesting material or you may disturb them. Best thing to do is forget about them and hopefully some day you will see a bird flying in or out and you will have instant gratification and entertainment for weeks.;)

shawnee

Just noticed the blue tit returning to the nesting box that was used last year. Can't say if it's the same bird but maybe it is. Reared a clutch there last year and I really enjoyed seeing them flying off. Didn't get round to cleaning it out and just left it be and they seem to have liked it so are back again .....whoaaaaa

kincsem

I put up a House Martin box yesterday under the roof eaves.
http://www.haiths.com/Products/Schwegler-House-Martin-Nest-WBNB01010/

Don't ignore it. Why you little .... :mad:

whyulittle

Eh ok, noted!

BenEadir

I'm guessing that if my nest boxes are still empty at this stage they're going to remain empty until at least next year?

Ben

jmkennedyie

'My' blue tit started nest building last Saturday. Maybe tits will have started nest building by now, but spotted flycatcher won't arrive for another month or two maybe and they nest in open boxes. There's an outside chance one of them might move in to your robin box.

BenEadir

jmkennedyie wrote: »

There's an outside chance one of them might move in to your robin box.

Hope springs eternal!!!

Ben

BenEadir

SUCCESS!!!

There's a pair of blue tits occupying my first nest box.

Happy days are here

Thanks all for the encouragement.

Ben

Half-cocked

All 3 of my camera nest boxes remain empty, but I've just discovered a pair of blackbirds building a nest on top of one of them! The box is in heavy cover.

BenEadir

Hi guys,

My pair of blue tits are still entering the nest box with nesting material so I'm hoping they will be rearing their clutch there but they don't seem to visit as often as I'd expect. Shouldn't they be going in and out of it at high frequency at this stage? (I'm new to this so don't mock me if I'm raving :eek: )

Also, I spotted a nice looking bird at my seed feeder which looks a little like a robin but has a longer body with white markings towards the back of the body. I looked online but can't find a photo of a similar enough bird to confirm what it is. Any suggestions?

Ben

Cork boy 55

BenThere wrote: »

Hi guys,

My pair of blue tits are still entering the nest box with nesting material so I'm hoping they will be rearing their clutch there but they don't seem to visit as often as I'd expect. Shouldn't they be going in and out of it at high frequency at this stage? (I'm new to this so don't mock me if I'm raving :eek: )

Also, I spotted a nice looking bird at my seed feeder which looks a little like a robin but has a longer body with white markings towards the back of the body. I looked online but can't find a photo of a similar enough bird to confirm what it is. Any suggestions?

Ben

A male chaffinch maybe , I have noticed robins are very agressive against them maybe they think they are other robins

BenEadir

Spot on Cork boy, thanks.

BenEadir

Hi all,

I'm really enjoying watching the pair of blue tits frequent my garden but have two issues you guys might be able to help me with:

1. Where is a good place to get bird seed in terms of value for money? I've been using a bag of Aldi bird seed to feed the blue tits (and robins and chaffinchs) but am running out and Aldi don't have it in stock any more. (Either did Lidl when I checked)

2. Is there a bird feeder which the bloody magpies can't get at? They are grabbing and hanging onto the hanging feeder I have for dear life to both grab some of the seeds and shake it some more seeds fall to other magpies on the ground. They are taking it in turns to to this!!

Cheers for any help.

Ben

Alun

I get my bird food from CJ Wildlife (www.birdfood.ie) which despite the .ie suffix is a UK company. You have to order at least €50 worth to get free delivery, although if I want to order less I usually team up with someone else and pool our orders.

I got my feeders from them too, and had problems with wood-pigeons hanging on to the plastic feeder trays on the bottom of the feeders and breaking them, so got a cage to fit over them which is actually designed to stop squirrels, but seems to have worked with the pigeons too. See http://birdfood.ie/ctrl/node:8;product_group:87;/guardian_seed_feeder_packs for a range of feeders with one already fitted. They do the cages separately but I doubt they'd fit other feeders.

BenEadir

Hi Alun,

Thanks for the reply. The caged feeder looks like what I need. I'd say it will stop the magpies feeding directly from the feeder but may not stop them from clinging on and shaking the whole thing to knock some of the seeds to the ground. It'll be an expensive purchase (€35 :eek: ) if it still allows the magpies to feed themselves by shaking the seeds to the ground though!!

One more query if you don't mind. Which food is best for me to get to use in the seed feeder? This looks like the right one but I'm not sure http://birdfood.ie/ctrl/product_group:17;/feeder_seed

I want the food to be primarily suitable for tits, chaffinchs and robins, in that order of priority!!

Cheers,

Ben

Alun

I use the High Energy seed mainly and the High Energy No-Mess in summer only, as this one tends to clog a bit in our damp climate. I've not tried the standard Feeder Mix to be honest. I also have a Nijer seed feeder (very popular with the finches) and a peanut feeder which is practically ignored. I also put out dried mealworms in a tray for my resident robins.

BenEadir

So there is one or possibly two (I can't tell the difference) blue tits popping into my nest box every few minutes over the last hour with what looks like food. Does this mean there is a clutch of chicks being reared in the nest box???

I sure hope so

Apart from climbing a step ladder to listen for the chicks (which I wouldn't do) is there a practical way to establish whether there is some activity going on in the nest box??

Ben

swifts need our help!

BenThere wrote: »

Apart from climbing a step ladder to listen for the chicks (which I wouldn't do) is there a practical way to establish whether there is some activity going on in the nest box??

yes, watch from a distance

Cork boy 55

BenThere wrote: »

So there is one or possibly two (I can't tell the difference) blue tits popping into my nest box every few minutes over the last hour with what looks like food. Does this mean there is a clutch of chicks being reared in the nest box???

I sure hope so

Apart from climbing a step ladder to listen for the chicks (which I wouldn't do) is there a practical way to establish whether there is some activity going on in the nest box??

Ben

I never been close to a blue tit nest (as in a few feet)
If you are near the nest when adult as gone in you should be able to hear
the babas chirping for food. if they are hatched
also if adult has food in its mouth going in it a sign they are chicks in there

I have noticed that they are shyer than other small birds
Cannot recall them landng nearer me once

swifts need our help!

Nothing in my two tit boxes this year but last year the parents went in and out within feet of me. They nested close to a busy path so maybe got used to people

Mark

BenEadir

Hey all,

I definitely have a breeding pair in my nest box

I stood under it this evening after noticing the pair feverishly going in and out ever minute or so and could clearly hear the chicks calling out. Happy days

One question I would really appreciate some help with is in relation to the seed feed I am using. I got a "wild bird seed mix" in Woodies which the blue tits do indeed feed a lot from but they seem to grab loads of seeds they don't like and 'spit' them onto the ground before accessing the seeds they do actually like.

Apart from not wanting to waste loads of seed which they aren't eating I'm now having a problem with magpies coming around to eat the discarded seed and some of it is even falling into a drain where it is both building up and also sprouting some sort of grass!!!

Is there a seed mix which is specifically aimed at blue tits which they will eat all of and won't throw 50% away? I already have a Nyjer feeder which they use a little but I'd really like to get a seed mix which was better suited to them.

Cheers,

This little hobby is quite addictive but also quite rewarding!!

Ben

siledee

I feed peanuts in the summer only because its a fast food takeaway for exhausted parents. I don't use seeds because I'm scared that parents will feed these to chicks if there is a shortage of grubs and caterpillars which might be the case this year as its so cold. Fat balls are a winter food.
Lots of failing broods in UK according to this website and most think its because of the cold and food shortage.
http://forum.biggonline.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=4&sid=95b23803e1bdb6b7ff951c07c5aa1159

I would suggest live mealworms would help with the food shortage and can be ordered online. Dried ones,while ok for adult birds,wouldn't be suitable for chicks as they have no moisture content.

BenEadir

Hi all,

It looks like the clutch of young blue tits fledged whilst i was travelling last week. There is no activity in the nest box whatsoever and the two parents no longer seem to be visiting it at all. I assume this is normal? Where do they go now? Do they abandon the nest now until next year? What do they use for cover at night/when they want to sleep?

I assume i don't clean out the nest box in preparation for next year until autum sometime?

Ben

GreenLady

They may well decide to rear another family in the same nest so don't disturb it. Keep feeding the birds that have become accustomed to what you put out for them - remember that there are now a whole lot more young bluetits in the world. You can get live mealworms from any fishing tackle shop and all sorts of young birds thrive on them. If you are getting a mixed bird seed look for a more expensive one that says "no waste" on the packaging. Best thing is to put out a range of different feeders with different kinds of feed in them so you have something to suits every palate

artieanna

Its a really great feeling to have birds nesting in a box you put up. Last year I put up four boxes and three were used. This year all four boxes are in use.

Had a problem with one this year, one of the cats figured she could get to the box I have done all I can to block her, so far so good, I will have to move the box though next year!

BenEadir

Hi All,

Just saw a blue tit feeding on some energy balls I have put up for the winter! I wasn't expecting to see any blue tits until Feb/March but then I am a relative novice having just had one season of nesting.

A few weeks ago I dismantled the bird house used by the nesting pair earlier in the year, removed the nest, washed it out in warm water, put it back together and put it back up in the same spot.

Will this newly arrived blue tit start nesting? Should I revert to leaving out seed mix specially for blue tits or perhaps nyjer seeds although I tried nyjer seeds in the past and they were never taken?

What a great start to a Saturday :-)

Ben

Kess73

BenThere wrote: »

Hi All,

Just saw a blue tit feeding on some energy balls I have put up for the winter! I wasn't expecting to see any blue tits until Feb/March but then I am a relative novice having just had one season of nesting.

A few weeks ago I dismantled the bird house used by the nesting pair earlier in the year, removed the nest, washed it out in warm water, put it back together and put it back up in the same spot.

Will this newly arrived blue tit start nesting? Should I revert to leaving out seed mix specially for blue tits or perhaps nyjer seeds although I tried nyjer seeds in the past and they were never taken?

What a great start to a Saturday :-)

Ben

Blue tits will use the garden all year round if they are getting regular food there.

Your new blue tit won't be nesting at this time of the year, but it (as well as a number of other species of small bird) could decide to use the nest box as somewhere to roost on cold winter nights.

The fat balls or any other suet products are very popular with birds, and are a great help to them during the colder months.


As for seeds, mixed seed always goes down well in feeders as there are so many different species that will eat them. Peanut feeders are also quite popular, especially with tits. Sunflower hearts (without husks) are loved by birds also.

Nyjer really won't attract tits. It is brilliant for Goldfinch, redpoll, and twites (I also find that chaffinch go nuts for it during the winter) but unless you have those birds in the area and use a feeder designed for nyjer (don't put it into a regular seed feeder as it flows out and/or gets wet) it may just end up sitting there.

Seeing that you are a bit of a blue tit fan, here is my main blue tit, Shadow. He has been coming to me for a good few years now and is very partial to waxworm although he will slum it and eat mealworm at times (any of the other regular blue tits I get will eat mealworm all the time but sometimes Shadow will refuse them and wait until a waxworm is presented to him):). He comes to the hand and will hang upside down from my fingers.

BenEadir

Cheers Kess,

That's a seriously cool photo. I've two feeders out both with suet balls so I think I'll swap one for peanuts or mixed seed but I hate the way they attract the bloody magpies!!

I tried Nyjer seeds in a proper nyjer seed feeder but it just stayed there and didn't attract anything so I've given up on that.

How is the LFC thread going BTW? I used to follow it daily but got depressed with the amount of BS postings with guys promoting their specific agenda. I admire the way to stick with it

Ben

whyulittle

Sunflower seed (even with husks) is definitely the most popular in my garden. It's the only feeder that needs to be filled daily, most of it is cached by Coal Tits.

BenEadir

Hi all,

I've really noticed the Tits and Robins lashing into the mixed seed I have out for them. Spring is truly in the air!!!

When can I expect to see them taking possession of the bird house I have waiting for them?? It's in the same place as last year so I'm hoping it will be used again.

Ben

Kess73

Bird houses will be getting checked out and being used/refused pretty much from now to August.


In fact many nest boxes will have been checked by various birds over the winter as well.

If your successful blue tits from last year are still around, there will be a good chance that they will check out the area that served them well in raising a brood last year.

All you can do is keep your feeding routine going, and keeping an eye out. You could get a breeding pair early in the season, late in the season, a number of batches, or nothing at all. That's the joy of nest boxes


I think that like yourself, all of us with nest boxes will be keeping a close eye on events from here in.