Is my hedge high enough for a nestbox ?

[BarbaraEmma]

I'm trying to figure out where would be best to site a nest box in my garden.The problem is I have the perfect height wall,about 10' but it faces south and would get too hot.Down the left hand side of my garden facing west we have nextdoors leylandii hedge.We cut it once a year and next door do the same ,it's about 6'high our side but lower on their side,under 5', as their garden is higher than ours.It's very narrow about 18" -24" at a guess.My question is ,could I push a nest box (or even 2) into the middle of it.Would it be high enough?I'd rather not bother than put a nest at risk of predation.Thanks.
Barbara.

[Kayleigh]

Blue tits like a clear run in and out so will not nest if its inside a tree or bush..

[Hedera]

Blackbirds may nest in the leylandii as it stands, also dunnocks lower down if the hedge bottom is thick. You could put a nestbox on a post in front of the hedge for tits.

[davecatt]

Could you put the box on one of the house walls?

[actionfinch]

Originally Posted by davecatt

Could you put the box on one of the house walls?

sounds like BarbaraEmma will have the same problem as me. I have mine on a south facing wall and worried about the sun (see separate thread)
So be careful there.
providing you dont have a wall thats not in the sunlight.

[BarbaraEmma]

Thanks Kayleigh,so it looks like if I want to use that side of the garden I need a long post to fix the box onto as Hedera kindly suggests.I'm afraid the hedge is the same 18"-24" straight up,the bottom of it is overgrown with couch grass and a bit of bramble which I could encourage and there is chicken wire in amongst it to stop the cats making pathways through it.
I could perhaps rope in some help to put one on the house ,it would be quite difficult as we have a conservatory right across the back but it's worth thinking about and might be the answer,thanks Davecatt.
On the opposite side to the dreaded hedge I am slowly growing a mixed hedge including Rowan,Holly,Buddleia, Cotoneaster and Forsythia which I hope will be better for the boxes I would like.
Barbara

[RKB]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Blue tits like a clear run in and out so will not nest if its inside a tree or bush..

Not really true. We have nextboxes in the middle of farmland hedges, some only 3 ft high, and they get plenty of Blue and Great Tits. They're pretty adaptable. If you think about it, all natural tree holes are in the middle of a tree or bush to some degree!

Barbara, don't put 2 boxes close (within about 20 ft) of each other or it may cause problems. It can confuse/agitate the birds.

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by RKB

Not really true. We have nextboxes in the middle of farmland hedges, some only 3 ft high, and they get plenty of Blue and Great Tits. They're pretty adaptable. If you think about it, all natural tree holes are in the middle of a tree or bush to some degree!

Barbara, don't put 2 boxes close (within about 20 ft) of each other or it may cause problems. It can confuse/agitate the birds.

Thanks for the correction I was told this so thought it was true but nature dont read the book does it lol

[Tursiops2]

A couple of open-fronted nest boxes, well secured in deep cover, might attract Robins or Wrens.
T2

[BarbaraEmma]

I've only just picked up on these replies,sorry.
I think I'm going to try 2 boxes ,there should be room as the hedge is about 20' long.I was thinking of a robin box and a tit box and see what happens.There's parts of an old iron fence covered by the hedge,so I could make the boxes pretty secure. I'm planning to keep all the bird feeders well away from there.If anyone can think of anything else please let me know.
Thanks,Barbara