How do you clean a nest box?

[slowmotion]

Blue tits etc are naturally hole-nesters. There is, presumably, a finite supply of natural holes. So how does most of the blue tit population cope? Presumably they just nest in a hole that was used a previous year with no cleaning?

I wouldn't want to move into a gaff with seven corpses inside.

 

[night cycler]

There are lots of mature trees where I live. I hear owls calling at times and they seem to be within about 150 meters away or closer. Being after dark I never actually see them. It would be interesting if I had an owl nesting in one of the mature trees in my garden. One is an ash and the other a Beech. I don`t know if tree type is relevant to owls or not? I suppose it is more to do with location?

 

[steveindenmark]

We put sheeps wool from the field in those spiral metal feeders in the Spring. It is gone in no time.

 

[Levo-Lon]

[QUOTE 5373573, member: 9609"]is it a 'Screech' (barn owl) or the classic 'Twit-To-Who' (Tawny)?

Ash trees often have snapped off branches Owls love spending the day time hiding in those holes - very difficult to see they are so well camouflaged. They also like trees covered in Ivy, they can get themselves hidden away in there, Ivy is a great leaf to stay dry behind (which is very important to an owl) Ivy sheds water as good as slates on a roof

you need good binos and a lot of patience to spot owls roosting during the day - take a look at these
http://www.instantshift.com/2014/12/12/hidden-camouflage-owls/[/QUOTE]

There like chameleons..

 

[slowmotion]

this year I made a bird box from some cut off panels I rescued from an installation our company did. Ive had no residence as yet and am wondering if I have situated it incorrectly or the box isn't attractive to any particular species.

guidance needed I think, over to the CC bird watchers.......

The RSPB has information about siting, sizes, orientation etc. Here's something, but dig away and you'll find loads more. We've had tits for two years out of three. Sometimes they move in, sometimes they don't. It's just one of those things.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-w...lp-birds/nestboxes/nestboxes-for-small-birds/

BTW, you can get cheap mini cameras to spy on them in the box. It's enormous fun, but heart-breaking when the chicks die.

 

[Amanda P]

Those parasites that live in birds' nests and boxes? They'll have a go at you too. If you're at all allergic to bitey things, and you have many boxes to clear out, it's well worth wearing long rubber gloves to handle all the old nest material - it's often full of mites, fleas, flatflies etc etc.

I AM an ornithologist, I learned this the hard way! If you spend all summer monitoring nest boxes, bitten wrists and forearms become an occupational hazard. And, yes, Jeye's fluid, dilute bleach, hot water, any disinfectant, really, will help a lot to keep all those parasites in check.

Yes, in nature, tits' populations (and those of other obligate cavity-nesters) can be limited by the availability of natural holes. Our tendency to take down old trees reduces the availability, and various tree diseases (Dutch elm disease, sudden oak death, ash dieback etc etc) aren't helping either. If it's a choice between having a hole that's full of mites and no chance to breed at all, you'll take the mitey hole. But if the nestboxes are openable and cleanable, why not open 'em and clean 'em? The tits should be able to hatch of more broods, bigger broods and healthier ones if they're not having to feed their chicks' parasites as well as the chicks themselves.

 

[Poacher]

I wouldn't want to move into a gaff with seven corpses inside.

No worries, Fred and Rose West's house was demolished. (Sorry in advance for any offence caused - I just couldn't resist. I'm sick.)

We put sheeps wool from the field in those spiral metal feeders in the Spring. It is gone in no time.

Endless fun watching them grab a strand and stretch back as far as their legs will allow to try and free it; sometimes they just throw themselves off the feeder still gripping the wool in their beak. Makes me wonder if I should clip it into shorter lengths.

Edit: Thanks, @slowmotion for starting this thread; it reminded me to clean out my two Schweglers (one blue tit, one robin). Both had been used this year.

 

[slowmotion]

I'll hop up the ladder tomorrow, unscrew the box, and examine the grisly contents before sluicing it comprehensively with boiling water. I'm rather dreading seeing the remains of the chicks, but I suppose they died an entirely natural death. Sad business really.