Nest Box Survey Information
Nest Box Survey 2026
Nest Box Breeding Results – 2026
Sue and Dave have completed monitoring the Nest Boxes for 2026 and are pleased to report increased breeding! In fact, the best results in the past 3 years! Being a member of Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, I was aware the past few nesting years have been poor for Blue-tits and Great-tits for various reasons. Weather/climate change definitely being a factor. So, to have a result of 7/12 Tit boxes having been successful (6 Bluetit nests & 1 Great-tit) and a total of 42+ chicks having fledged, this year is pleasing! Plus, there were no dead chicks remaining in the boxes and only 2 eggs were unhatched in the one box. (It is worth noting that Chris Packham on Spring Watch remarked that sadly from a nest of 10 chicks, only 1 fledgling is likely to survive a year!
However, our 3 Robin boxes were again, empty!
| Fledglings | Woodland Nest boxes | Total | |||||||
| 2026 | 5 | 6 | 7(+2) | 6 | 7 | 9 | 2+ | 42+ | |
| 2025 | 5 | 11 | 5 | ? | 7 | 28+ | |||
| 2024 | * | * | * | ||||||
Blue-tit Eggs 13.5.26
How many eggs is she possibly incubating?
Challenging to count number of chicks!
Great-tit chicks GONE!
Sue has uploaded the data of our results to BTO Nest Record Scheme.
New in 2024 Nest Box Monitoring
March:
Blue-tits and Great-tits observed visiting boxes
Crow spotted building 2 nests in woodland trees
April
Blue-tits / Great-tits observed visiting boxes
Crows nest visible (while no leaf canopy) one bird near nest
May
Lots of bird song within the woodland. Activity at some boxes.
Results of monitoring for BTO Nest Record Scheme:
2021
- Several of our nest boxes are occupied, mainly by Blue-tits
2020
- Several of our nest boxes are occupied, mainly by Great- tits and Blue-tits.
2019
- Several of our nest boxes are occupied, mainly by Great- tits and Blue-tits, however, one of larger boxes made by Colin several years ago is showing nest material at entrance – possible pigeon?
2018
- Several of our nest boxes (at least 4) are occupied – Blue-tit seen sitting on nest
- Parakeet sitting on eggs (2 visible) in the same nest hole as in previous years – 5th April, 2018.
- Parakeet adult and 1 chick unfeathered – 5th May, 2018
2017
Parakeet had another brood in same nest hole.
Several nest-boxes in use by tits.
Parakeet chicks 16 days old May 2016
A pair of Parakeets occupied a woodpecker’s nest hole within the woodland again this year. I took weekly photos of developments. Some of which I uploaded to Flicker and made be viewed by clicking on the following link:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/
2016
Some additional sponsored nest boxes to be erected during forthcoming work parties.
2015
Ring-necked Parakeet – nesting in hollow of tree, chick within – heard calling. May 2015.
Blue tit occupied and successfully reared within PJ box in Holly tree adjacent to the clearing for the third year.
2014.
Blue tit occupied and successfully reared within PJ box in Holly tree adjacent to the clearing both last and this year (2013).
In 2013, members were asked to sponsor a Bird (or Bat) Box.
During a work party (Sunday 27th January) these boxes were attached to trees in various locations within the woodland. (Our thanks to Russell and Mike for the ladder work).
The boxes are numbered 1-5 and an original box from the previous Montefiore Action Project (Map 1) was repaired and returned to the site.
During the coming weeks, these boxes will be monitored and activity recorded accordingly and results will eventually be uploaded to this page.
Incidentally within half an hour of erection, Box 4 was prospected by an interested Blue-tit! Watch this space……!
A Stock Dove roosted within a box but sadly no further interest.
