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Nesting for birds/mice...

Kathy43Kathy43 Posts: 115
in Wildlife gardening

Morning all. With my garden looking so bare at the moment, its got me thinking. I would love for birds, wrens, blackbirds,or a little mouse, to take up residency in my border.

i have an ideal patch, under the honeysuckle, but i need to find a suitable evergreen, for them to live in.

I cant go big, 1.2 metre wide at the most,and maybe the same in height, (but i would like smaller height), and its shady. I love the look of berries,too.

I am struggling with availability , so the easier to get hold of the better.

Please help...I like the gaultheria mucronta bell seedlings, but it likes full sun

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Posts

  • raisingirlraisingirl East Devon, on the Edge of Exmoor.Posts: 3,524

    The RHS website says it likes full or partial shade. Certainly my wintergreen plant is happy in the shade image. Or maybe have small holly - the birds love those and you can keep them small if you keep them trimmed.

    If you want robins or wrens in your garden, you should have a look on the RSPB website for bird boxes. They can be low down on a fence behind shrubs for both these birds so no ladder climbing needed 

    It's hard to love, there's so much to hate
    Hanging on to hope when there is no hope to speak of
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 55,054

    Helpful advice about siting the different types of nest boxes for different types of birds here    https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/read-and-learn/helping-birds/nestboxes/smallbirds/siting.aspx 

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Kathy43Kathy43 Posts: 115

    Yes, Ive looked on another website, and that says shade! I wondered why all the other gaultheria liked shade, but that one didn't! I think holly maybe too big. I saw a nice little one, but it won't produce berries. But it is lovely. I might get one, if I can find one, as my daughter is called Holly, and Hollyhocks won't grow in my garden!

  • Kathy43Kathy43 Posts: 115

    I wonder if I should put a box there, and just let the bush grow around it naturally...

  • philippa smith2philippa smith2 Posts: 7,189

    I'd be careful about the desire for a mouse to take up residence - it won't remain single for long - particularly if you feed the garden birdsimage


    If you want the birds all year round, carefully sited nest boxes along with suitable shrubbery to roost in would be the ideal solution.  Don't be put off if the birds turn their beaks up at the des. res. to begin with.  They are often more picky when viewing a prospective property than we humans areimage

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 55,054
    philippa smith2 says:

    ...  They are often more picky when viewing a prospective property than we humans areimage


     Possibly 'cos we're a bit further up the food chain than they are Philippa image

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Kathy43Kathy43 Posts: 115

    I found a drowned mouse in my old pond, so they are about! I've since revamped the pond, so it could swim out now

  • philippa smith2philippa smith2 Posts: 7,189

    Dove - "further up the food chain" - frequently these days, I do actually wonder about thatimage

    Kathy - if it drowned, it's unlikely to be swimming anywhere now - you need another mouse to test the revamped pondimage

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 55,054

    Philippa image

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • Kathy43Kathy43 Posts: 115
    philippa smith2 says:

    Dove - "further up the food chain" - frequently these days, I do actually wonder about thatimage

    Kathy - if it drowned, it's unlikely to be swimming anywhere now - you need another mouse to test the revamped pondimage

    See original post

     You know what I meant image  

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