Empty Nest Boxes

We are now into April and I’m still looking at empty nest boxes. It looks like another barren year for me!

This is true for the two tit boxes as typically by now, for both Blue and Great Tits, nesting would be underway. As both of these species, in this area anyway, only tend to have one brood per year, it looks like the moment has passed.

It’s now the second year when I’ve had no active Tit nests, For the 4 or 5 years up to then I was always getting one. I really don’t know what has changed.

I have still got an occasional visitor checking out the box, the latest from this week, so perhaps all hope is not lost and I may get a late breeding pair.

I do though have hope for the Robin Nest Box. Robins have multiple broods per year, usually using different nest sites. My Box was used last year by a pair which started building their nest in June, so plenty of time.

And I also still have my Swift nest box. I think my chances of getting a nesting swift are quite remote, and they will anyway not return until late April or early May. But happily the nest box is still being used every night by a roosting Great Tit. (Who also shows no signs of building a nest).

Unlike my other boxes the image quality is a bit low but it is still nice to see it arrive every night for a nice, warm, safe sleep.