Nesting box advice please?

[HamieRaptorcliff]

Hi All,

There may well be a thread already on this, so apologies if its been done.

I moved into a new place this year and have been relatively successful (so far) in converting what was a 'nothing friendly' patch into a decent little environment for birds. I regularly get tits, robins, blackbirds, chaffinch, dunnocks, sparrows, pigeons and I've even managed a goldcrest...once.

Anyway, I was hoping to put up some nesting boxes this weekend, with the hope of providing something for any potential nesters this coming year. What should I be looking for / careful of? We have no cats in the area at all, but I know there are also things like sunlight / heat / height / direction, etc that need to be factored in.

Any tips, much appreciated.

Thanks

[htcdude]

Don't:

- Put it with the hole facing into the sun (preferrably in the shade)
- Put it near any feeders
- Put it anywhere where cats may be able to walk along and access it (even though you don't have cats in the area, just in case)



EDIT: Depending on what bird you're planning on providing for, RSPB have a relatively good guide:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpin...ds/siting.aspx

Nige

[Elizabeth B]

The RSPB's suggestion "face the box between north and east" is very limiting - I have read elsewhere that a place between north and southeast (through east) is OK.

Another point where we don't agree with the RSPB is on hole size. Great tits here can't get into a box with a 28mm hole - so we use 32mm.

[htcdude]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth B

Another point where we don't agree with the RSPB is on hole size. Great tits here can't get into a box with a 28mm hole - so we use 32mm.

Ah yes forgot about that

Nige