I was delighted to read on the excellent Hazeltree blog recently that a pair of robins were nesting on a shelf, in a shed. Behind a couple of pots of paint. Actually, no I wasn’t. I wasn’t delighted at all. I was spitting tacks.
Would you credit it? A couple of years ago, I made a perfectly lovely robin nest box. Put it up on an ivy covered tree and waited expectantly for the grateful little darlings to set up home and start making babies. Nada. OK, obviously something unappealing to the robin eye about my siting of the box so I moved it. Moved it to the inside of an old outbuilding where I thought robins would be elbowing each other aside so as to get inside this snug and cosy home.
And was it used? Was it buffalo. Don’t know why I bother, I really don’t. I even put an old quirky roofing tile on it to give it a jaunty air. Next year I’ll just stick a couple of pots of paint on a shelf – that’s obviously all they want. Ungrateful wretches.
Still. After a little tantrum, I consoled myself that of the nine tit boxes that I’ve made and put up in the garden, seven are in use this year. As five of them only went up in February, I’m fairly chuffed. Obviously blue and great tits are a far more discerning and appreciative clientele than your provincial and, quite frankly, boorish robin. The latter wouldn’t know a nice home if it came hurtling at them at great speed and accuracy from the hand of a churlish gardener.
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| One of the nest boxes in use – on the mighty ash tree. |
Oh well, at least Margaret’s fast growing lambs appreciate me. This one came to investigate the beautiful singing it heard floating out from the Priory gardens. It was me working through my Musicals Medley, and he was particularly enraptured by my “One Day More” from Les Mis. Oddly, no-one else ever has been. But, to put it bluntly, unless he learns to eat with his mouth shut we’re never going to hit it off.
Somebody else who appreciates me are the Mandarin ducks nesting in my tawny owl box. I obviously hadn’t made it quite clear enough that this was for the sole use of tawny owls. SOLE USE. However, I’m not a total curmudgeon, and having moved in, I was very happy to have them on board. I was worried though that they might abandon their nest as initially they would fly off whenever I approached the box. But they seemed to have calmed down and now when I walk past, I often just catch a glimpse of a distrustful, intent eye, watching me as I go about my business. Just checking up on what I’m doing and where I’m going. Ensuring that I’m not up to any mischief.
What an anxious time. When the big day arrives and we are a parent, we’ll be sure to let you know.
The Anxious Gardener 
Janet, thank you so much!!
Thanks Shirl, am keeping an eye on the Mandarins. (As indeed they are on me).
Dave
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Sheesh indeed… I feel your pain! No nesters for us this year and boxes and cams all around. My sheesh is for a blackbird nester (without cam) of 4 years… maybe I should give up and move it now 🙂
Love the robin nest story but Mandarins in an owl box… that is fun! Hope you dont's miss the big drop day 😀
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Always happy to be supportive of a fellow gardener 😉
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Hi Karin, it seems my original response to your comment isn't going to come back (lost by blogger during their outage). I will try and be patient re the robins but it is tough. Impatience is a virtue and all that. Haven't heard the owl for a while now (just cuckoos) so maybe he/she has headed off for pastures and nest boxes new. I hope not.
Hi Janet, “that lamb can put up with (my) singing” would seem to imply that you think that my voice may not be as good as I like to think it is. Charming!!! If perceptive. I want to build more nest boxes next winter, I suspect I could fit in another half a dozen or so.
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Hilarious! And if that lamb can put up with your singing, I think you could put up with the eating-with-mouth-open habit 😉 Or is that open-mouthed horror?! Congrats on the full nest boxes. We have one – then again, it is a small garden – and I love watching the frantic to and fro of the attempts to satisfy the demands for food from the young.
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It's almost as if the birds have minds of their own. (!)
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Hi Karin, you mean impatience isn't a virtue? I was always taught it was. I wanted instant results with my robin box. Tsk. Guess I'll just have to wait.
Hadn't thought about the ducklings being potential owl snacks. I think they'll be OK. I think. Won't they? Oh, dear – shall worry now.
dave
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Has the robin box been in any one place for more than one year? Some birds seem distrustful of new fixtures in the district. Although, I know someone who had robins nesting in a corner of their greenhouse, so maybe that is all they want.
Clearly the lamb mistook your singing for the dulcit tones of its mother calling, but then no one appreciates my singing, either. I'll have to try it next time I'm near sheep. Maybe I'll find an appreciative audience, too.
I worry that a tawny owl will finally discover your nest box and think you've laid on dinner as well. Hope those ducklings will be all right.
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