nest disaster URGENT

[pop]

Hello all, Hope someone can advise me here, 2 woodcocks were building a nest on my oudoor security light. (switched off at the mains) they were doing well but the light tilted and the nest fell on the floor. The birds are still nearby & look a bit agitated. My question is, should i put up a nest box for them? and would they use it? What size and shape should it be? Thanks to anyone kind enough to answer. Best regards POP.

[pop]

Sorry woodpidgeons !! Not woodcocks

[Jason Green]

Evening Pop,

I'd suggest you try and put it up quickly as best you can, and hope for the best - and consider creating a pile of hay/picked grass for them to easily bulk it up with. Have they laid yet? I read a story recently where a nest collapsed at a similar time of night to this and the landowner put it back together within two hours - the birds had gone, but returned by morning! If the birds seem agitated then I should think they'll appreciate the assistance. There's hope

Oh, and try and secure the light if you can, prop it/tighten screws or whatever to prevent a repeat

Take care,

Jason

[pop]

hi jason, thanks for the reply & the advice, ile make a start in the morning, do you think the birds would use a box/ platform if i fit one just above the light?
ive googled pigeon nest boxes but the all look massive, was wondering what size and shape would be best

[Jason Green]

They may do, but I'm not that experienced with bird nesting habits.

Pigeons tend to nest in most months temperature-permitting, so I'm sure they'll re-build if you can put the leftovers somewhere where they'll find them if you can't get it to safely stay where it was

[pop]

UPDATE,, This morning i built a wooden shelf above the light with 2 sides about 5 inches high to keep the wind down and a lip on front about 3 inches high just to stop anything from falling out.i put all the twigs and some straw in a nest shape ,then i went to work & hoped for the best.
On returning from work there was the Pigeon nice and safe on the shelf,and we now have an EGG!!! I couldnt be happier. My friend has told me the bird is a collard dove! (im such a dummy). thanks for the replies and the help/ideas
POP

[Tracey.A]

Hi pop, just read your thread, well done you and I'm delighted that they are using it. Looks like your quick intervention is much appreciated by your collared doves I just think that this thread is such a lovely one, hope the egg and any other eggs that appear will do well, with you as their gaurdian I think they will

Good luck and well done

Tracey

[posie]

Hello Pop, like Tracey I love the feel of this thread. Well done you. What a wonderful feeling you must have, You are going to be a Daddy again....I've got a mallard duck nesting at my pond, and every few days I have to renew the grass and twig shelter over her nest, so that the crows don't see the nest from above when she goes off to feed. She is wild, but knows I won't hurt her, and always seems grateful cos it also keeps the rain and wind off her....Good luck with the eggs, keep the crows off them !...Posie

[leeroy]

What a great story - proves we can learn something every day, now I know what to do if it happens, I would have been a bit wary before reading this !

Our resident collared doves get terrorized by the magpies, they steal eggs & even smash nests to pieces - any ideas on how to stop it ? I throw things at the magpies when I am around, to scare them off, but they are not too shy & return pretty quick.

[Willo]

Well done with the repairs. It sounds like you have made a much more substantial nest than doves generally make. I have seen a number of collard dove nests where you can see the egg through the bottom of the nest there were so few twigs in them.