Building 100k's of new homes!

Jenny_Aster

The homes are for little creatures...

Just spent a couple of hours musing over my 'up-and-coming' wildlife pond, which got me thinking about toad houses, which led to hedgehog shelters, then housing birds, eventually onto insect hotels, I firmly went down the proverbial 'rabbit hole'.... (sorry bunnies, no you'll not be made welcome in my garden... )

Helping nature doesn't need to cost a penny. Just thought I'd share pics that caught my eye, and sparked a bit of imagination.

OH and I often lock horns about the trendy term 'up-cycling', he hates to see plastic and other household 'rubbish' being useful in the garden. I'm more practical, though I do like to see a bit of ingenuity.

Now I wondering if the practical gardeners of this forum have any good ideas

wild edges

I had an email from the British Trust for Ornithology this week about prepping bird nesting sites for the upcoming year. This paragraph stands out:

'Attractive looking' boxes can be used, but the bird’s comfort and welfare should take priority. The wood should be thick enough to protect young nestlings from changes in temperature, while chambers and entrance holes of the wrong size, if the box is actually occupied, can make nesting challenging and may even provide access to predators. Ensure the box can be opened, both to facilitate nest monitoring and to enable the box to be cleaned out once the breeding season has ended.

Fairygirl

Indeed @wild edges.
That last photo is a classic example - easy pickings for predators. 

I've got plenty of pairs of old walking boots, but they'll be going in the bin, not hung in a tree! 

wild edges

You can hang your boots in a shed or somewhere and as long as birds have access to the inside then they might use them for nesting.

Fairygirl

I wouldn't be able to leave the shed open unfortunately. 
Plenty of good sites around here for birds to nest though, so it's not such a problem. 

Uff

I like the idea of stuffing an old spring with nesting material. Old bird feeders could be used too I guess. I'll certainly be using that idea.

Fairygirl

Yes - I stick bits of 'stuff' in old feeders or hanging baskets. Since I don't do hanging baskets, they're good for that, and keeping squirrels off pots of bulbs. 

Fire

I agree that it's best to look up the ideal habitat for the birds you have in mind and build accordingly.

Putting out sheeps' fleece can be useful for nesting birds. I put out all bits of old mutlicoloured wool yarn and like the idea of multicoloured nests out there. We just need to make sure it is pure wool or cotton and no synthetic mixes. Coir is also good.

Fairygirl

...and of course, there's the 'accidental' nesting material that's available  

tui34

I put the dog's hair from brushings into a fat ball holder in my Feijoa tree.  Seems to be used up nicely.  I do like the shoe but agree with the idea that the bubs could be easy prey.  

Suesyn

After watching the sparrows pecking away at the twine on the climbers I have been putting all the little bits in an old fat ball feeder. I collect it in autumn when I take down the tomatoes etc and then put it out about the end of February. I try to tie the long bits onto the wire  but it doesn't take long for them to empty it.