The nesting season has started

With Mother’s Day approaching this weekend, it seemed timely that the blue tits have started bringing nesting material into one of their nest boxes in anticipation of bringing up a family. Blue tits and great tits are the most common of our garden birds to use a typical nest box. Naturally however, they use holes in trees, but any crack or crevice with a cavity behind may entice them to make a cosy home inside.

There is already a layer of moss in the bottom of the box, which the tits will have probably taken from the lawn. Leaves and grass may be added and as more moss arrives it creates a thick spongy layer.

After putting a new piece of moss in place, the bird wriggles across the centre of it, a bit like a honeybee doing a ‘waggle dance’, but with wings outstretched. As it does this, it creates the characteristic cup shape.

The nest will also be lined with soft feathers, fur or wool and even spider webs.

Seeing the tits starting to line the bottom of the nest box, we placed some sheep’s wool in an old fat ball feeder. It didn’t take long before the tits were tugging at it, and it already looks like some has tucked in amongst the moss in the nest box.

Although they are making good progress, it will probably be at least a week or more before the female decides it is ready and settles down to lay.

Meanwhile, there has been a bit conflict over the rights to the kestrel box.

As soon as we put it back up, the kestrels came to check out their real estate and seemed to approve.

However, once their backs were turned, a pair of jackdaws decided that it would do them very nicely too.

There ensued some commotion as the kestrels returned and the two parties bickered and fought over this ‘ideal home’. The kestrels eventually saw off the jackdaws, only to then be evicted themselves by a tawny owl!