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Nest box inhabited

  • 17-10-2016 8:41pm
    #1
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,499 ✭✭✭✭


    I have a nestbox which has been used for the last 3 years or so by blue tits to raise a brood, complete with a camera which I have used to observe the eggs being laid, hatching and eventually fledging.

    This year, instead of lashing up a PC temporarily to capture and stream the images I bought a small dedicated video server, which I left switched on permanently.

    I was about to get around to emptying the nest out ready for next year when I thought I'd better check if anything was still in there, and to my surprise there's a blue tit now in permanent residence for the last week or two. The video server has got motion detection enabled so I can see she (he?) is in there from around 6pm to 7.30am every day, sometimes popping in for a short while during the day as well.

    I'm wondering what to do now about cleaning the nest out .. I imagine she'll leave once spring arrives?

    I should say that in previous years they've started nest building around mid April and the young have all fledged by mid June.


Comments

  • #2
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    They will often use a box as a roost through Winter, often with several birds sharing.

    I would still clean out the box as old nesting material can harbour lice and parasites.


  • #3
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,499 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    OK, I'll do that. Would they return there after clearing it out?


  • #4
    ThunderCat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,385 ✭✭✭ThunderCat


    Alun wrote: »
    OK, I'll do that. Would they return there after clearing it out?

    Clean it out during the daytime and the bird may not even be aware you were ever there and will continue on as usual.


  • #5
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,499 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    ThunderCat wrote: »
    Clean it out during the daytime and the bird may not even be aware you were ever there and will continue on as usual.
    Hopefully she'll return. I've looked at the times she's in there more carefully, and she's also in there during the day when the weather's bad, i.e. heavy rain, so it'd be a shame if she stopped using it.

    I've got some clean straw (animal bedding) that I could put in there after cleaning it out, would that be a good idea?

    I've also got a new camera for the nest box coming in a day or two, so I'll do both at the same time to minimise any possible disturbance.


  • #6
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Alun wrote: »
    Hopefully she'll return. I've looked at the times she's in there more carefully, and she's also in there during the day when the weather's bad, i.e. heavy rain, so it'd be a shame if she stopped using it.

    I've got some clean straw (animal bedding) that I could put in there after cleaning it out, would that be a good idea?

    I've also got a new camera for the nest box coming in a day or two, so I'll do both at the same time to minimise any possible disturbance.

    There's no need to put anything in the box. In fact I would advise against it.


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