Nest boxes
Planning a nest-box camera before birds arrive
Install and test equipment while the box is empty, then accept that a failed picture may have to wait.
Nest boxes
Homes, placement and the work between nesting seasons
Nest boxes
When a nest box stays empty
An empty box is not a failed experiment. Review its setting over a season before deciding what to change.
Nest boxes
Cleaning an empty nest box in autumn
Autumn maintenance starts with confirming that nesting has finished, and with checking the rules if eggs remain.
Nest boxes
Repairing a box between nesting seasons
A loose hinge may be repairable; a weakened floor or spreading split may call for a replacement.
Nest boxes
Checking a box after rough weather
After a gale, look from the ground first. An occupied box needs a different response from an empty one.
Nest boxes
How to think about spacing nest boxes
Spacing depends on the birds and the shape of the garden. A row of identical boxes is not always the best use of a fence.
Nest boxes
What an entrance plate can and cannot do
A metal ring can protect an entrance rim, but it cannot make the entire box secure against every predator.
Nest boxes
Finishes and paint on a wooden nest box
A finish is optional decoration or weather protection, not a reason to coat every surface of the chamber.
Nest boxes
Let birds choose their nesting material
A slightly untidy garden supplies choices. Household fibres and pet-grooming waste are not needed to furnish a box.
Nest boxes
Watching visits without opening the box
Visits tell a partial story. Watching from a familiar distant position is enough to notice the season changing.
Nest boxes
A nest box as a winter roost
A winter visitor may be using shelter for the night, even when the box never held a summer nest.
Nest boxes
When moving a nest box can wait
A more attractive position can wait if the current box is being used. Plan the move around the birds, not a garden deadline.