Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

:-((

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and ..............................
nothing

:-((

Mike
--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

:-((

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and
.............................. nothing

:-((

Mike

Just a tad early yet. They will, honest.

Bill

In article ,
says...

Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

:-((

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and ..............................
nothing

:-((

Mike

Sparrows have taken one of mine over. The other one has never been used
as far as I am aware!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

Bill Grey wrote:
"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and
.............................. nothing

Just a tad early yet. They will, honest.

Not for mine: the bottom of the box is fully covered even in the nest cup
and there is already some lining of coloured bits of wool and some natural
stuff from the lambs' wool that I put out specially. (The nearest sheep
pasture is miles away.)

But my box has been used for years (see
http://www.mjcoon.plus.com/nest%20box%20drama.htm) and has been actively
"reserved" since last Autumn.

Mike.
--
If reply address is (invalid), remove spurious "@"
and substitute "plus" for +.

"Mike Coon" wrote in message
...
Bill Grey wrote:
"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and
.............................. nothing

Just a tad early yet. They will, honest.

Not for mine: the bottom of the box is fully covered even in the nest cup
and there is already some lining of coloured bits of wool and some natural
stuff from the lambs' wool that I put out specially. (The nearest sheep
pasture is miles away.)

But my box has been used for years (see
http://www.mjcoon.plus.com/nest%20box%20drama.htm) and has been actively
"reserved" since last Autumn.

Mike.
--
If reply address is (invalid), remove spurious "@"
and substitute "plus" for +.



Having sat and watched the box over a period now, I think I can see what
could very well be a bit of a problem. It is very windy this morning and
there is a dead Bramble branch wafting across the front of the box only
about 6 inches away. The box is normally busy all the year round with
'visits' and 'roosting' over the winter. As I reported I have been away for
3 months with only the odd visit to the house to clear mail etc, certainly
not time to examine the box :-((

Seems as if we have to start again ;-)

Mike



--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

In article ,
says...

In article ,
says...

Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

:-((

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and ..............................
nothing

:-((

Mike

Sparrows have taken one of mine over. The other one has never been used
as far as I am aware!

Having written that yesterday evening, this morning, watching the
garden, what did I see?

A bluetit appearing out of that "unused" nesting box!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales

"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

In article ,
says...

Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

:-((

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and
..............................
nothing

:-((

Mike

Sparrows have taken one of mine over. The other one has never been used
as far as I am aware!

Having written that yesterday evening, this morning, watching the
garden, what did I see?

A bluetit appearing out of that "unused" nesting box!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales


and I have been out there and cut away the Bramble and a bit of Honeysuckle
which 'may' have been putting them off ;-))

Mike


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...


"Roger Tonkin" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...

In article ,
says...

Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

:-((

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and
..............................
nothing

:-((

Mike

Sparrows have taken one of mine over. The other one has never been used
as far as I am aware!

Having written that yesterday evening, this morning, watching the
garden, what did I see?

A bluetit appearing out of that "unused" nesting box!

--
Roger T

700 ft up in Mid-Wales


and I have been out there and cut away the Bramble and a bit of
Honeysuckle which 'may' have been putting them off ;-))

Mike


Blue Tits in and out of the box!!!

Mike


--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

In article , 'Mike'
writes

Blue Tits in and out of the box!!!

The other day a pair of blue tits were checking mine out. Today one of
them had a good peck at some old garden twine hanging from a post then
flew to the box. Time to put out some nesting material.
--
Sue ]

"Darkside" wrote in message ...

In article , 'Mike'
writes

Blue Tits in and out of the box!!!

The other day a pair of blue tits were checking mine out. Today one of
them had a good peck at some old garden twine hanging from a post then
flew to the box. Time to put out some nesting material.
--
Sue ]

I often compost the 'fur' that collects on the tumble drier filter. I wonder
if this would be ok to put out as a nesting material? It forms a nice soft
layer and can be up to 5mm thick.
Bertie

"Bertie Doe" wrote in message
...


"Darkside" wrote in message ...

In article , 'Mike'
writes

Blue Tits in and out of the box!!!

The other day a pair of blue tits were checking mine out. Today one of
them had a good peck at some old garden twine hanging from a post then
flew to the box. Time to put out some nesting material.
--
Sue ]

I often compost the 'fur' that collects on the tumble drier filter. I
wonder if this would be ok to put out as a nesting material? It forms a
nice soft layer and can be up to 5mm thick.
Bertie


I tried that a couple of years ago. I collected it and put it in a string
bag the onions? or some veg came in, but A) It got wet and soggy and B) the
birds were not interested in it before it got wet.

Didn't try again

Mike

--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

"Sacha" wrote in message ...

On 2011-04-01 12:22:55 +0100, "Bertie Doe" said:



"Darkside" wrote in message ...

In article , 'Mike'
writes

Blue Tits in and out of the box!!!

The other day a pair of blue tits were checking mine out. Today one of
them had a good peck at some old garden twine hanging from a post then
flew to the box. Time to put out some nesting material.
--
Sue ]

I often compost the 'fur' that collects on the tumble drier filter. I
wonder if this would be ok to put out as a nesting material? It forms a
nice soft layer and can be up to 5mm thick.
Bertie

I've found the birds won't take it if it's artifical fibres!! I suppose it
'holds' the rain water more or something - doesn't drain and dry out as
well, perhaps? Of course, we may just have snobby birds with a penchant
for linen, cashmere, silk and natural wool. ;-)
--
Sacha

Perhaps I'll give the drier fur idea a miss. I noticed a female blackbird
ripping out marginal plants from my garden feature/pond thingy - obviously
for nesting material. Jackdaws and sparrows have removed most of the straw I
put down, to protect the dahlias.
We left the s/mkt about 9pm this evening, quite dark, but a robin was
singing merrily from one of the car park trees. Definitely Spring has
sprung.
Bertie

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
Well we were hoping that whilst we were away, the Blue Tits would do
something in their box, like ....... nest.

:-((

Watched it for 24 hours since our return and
.............................. nothing

:-((



Well since then, frantic activity on a daily basis. Birds in, birds out.
Nesting material in by the lorry load, well no, someone will pick me up for
that, 'lots of it', complete with beakfulls of mossy stuff over the last few
days.

Today? No activity whatsoever!!

Why? Now sitting, or, dummy nest and they are on another nest somewhere?

Your thoughts please.

Mike



--

....................................
Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out alive
....................................

'Mike' wrote:
Well since then, frantic activity on a daily basis. Birds in, birds
out. Nesting material in by the lorry load, well no, someone will
pick me up for that, 'lots of it', complete with beakfulls of mossy
stuff over the last few days.

Today? No activity whatsoever!!

Why? Now sitting, or, dummy nest and they are on another nest
somewhere?

They can lay clutches of up to a dozen eggs. At one a day this takes nearly
a fortnight. During that time they won't go near the nest often and the eggs
are likely to be brooded only at night just to make sure they don't die of
freezing. During the day they are cool so they all hatch together. It's
quite a long interregnum...

Mike.
--
If reply address is (invalid), remove spurious "@"
and substitute "plus" for +.

Well since then, frantic activity on a daily basis. Birds in, birds out.
Nesting material in by the lorry load, well no, someone will pick me up for
that, 'lots of it', complete with beakfulls of mossy stuff over the last few
days.

Today? No activity whatsoever!!

Why? Now sitting, or, dummy nest and they are on another nest somewhere?

Your thoughts please.


IME in warm springlike weather many species do nesting activities, then
when we get a cold spell (normally in mid-April) they put the mesting on
hold until it warms up again. Unless she's actually got to the point of
laying eggs, anyway.

--
Sue ]