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Birds
Luckyheather
Posts: 64
Hi, I am looking for advice on a Bird box, I was going to make one, but where is the best place to postion it in the garden, can anyone help?
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Posts
Thanks, do you have any idea if has to be facing north, south, east or west?
If you look at the RSPB website they have lots of useful info on bird boxes. and where to position them.
We place ours with the opening facing south, keeps the opening away from westerly and easterly winds.
Site the box where it's going to be shaded from strong sunlight, especially at midday - baked chicks won't be good! And make sure there's a clear flight path in for parents. Just above headheight is good for tits of all kinds.
Also, when making it use screws for the lid rather than nails - this way it'll be easier to clean out each winter. And if the base has a small gap to allow for drainage, that'll help too.
We really enjoyed watching a pair of bluetits raise two broods in the box on our ashtree this year - hope yours is just as successful
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi lucky10carol
Please, please don't have your box south facing, where it will get the sun. I stupidly positioned one on the front of my garage last year, 'coz it looked nice at the front of the garage', and I thought I could watch the parent birds come and go. I was absolutely devastated to find that a whole family of baby coaltits had suffocated in the blistering sun. I've now moved the box to the back of the garage, where it is not in the sun, but is out of chillling winds, and has the protection of a laurel hedge nearby. Not sure if anything nested in it this year, as I'm yet to look at the box, and clean it out ready for next year.
Good luck with getting nesting birds
I would would just like to thank everyone for there advice, it will be very helpfull.
I do agree with you, Kezza. I was going on the assumption that the nest would be going onto a tree, which is where we put ours and there it is shaded by the leaves. I wouldn't put one on a south facing wall either.
You can put the box up now. Small birds will sometimes roost in nest boxes during cold spells, with more than one bird sharing the box to retain heat.
Last winter I saw 5 wrens going into one of my boxes towards dusk. None came out and I watched for an hour ( much to the wifes annoyance). None came out.
Just after dawn about 7am, I watched again as one after the other, 7 wrens came out.
I so pleased I had put it up in the autumn.
Thanks Dave I think I will give that a try, as I had read somewhere that you could put one up in the autumn, but was not sure if it would get used.