|
Promoting the Cwmtillery countryside |
|
| Build a Bird Box | |
  |
Watching birds nesting in your garden can be very
rewarding, especially in a purpose built nestbox and are excellent substitutes
for the holes found in old trees. With over 60 species known to have used nest
boxes, you stand a good chance of enticing birds to use your birdbox in if is
located correctly. To make and locate your nestbox Use a plank of wood about 150mm wide and 15mm thick. The size of each section to be cut is shown on the diagram. The inside of the box must be at least 100 mm square and the bottom of the entrance hole must be at least 125mm from the floor. If it is less, predators could reach the young chicks. Use galvanised nails or screws. The inside front surface should be rough to allow the young birds to clamber up. Drainage holes should be drilled around the edge of the base. The entrance hole size depends on the species you hope to attract: 25mm for coal, marsh and blue tits, 28mm for great tits and 32mm for nuthatches, house and tree sparrows. Hinge the lid with a strip of rubber and use hook type fastener on the sides, this will allow cleaning in the Autumn. The same box with the upper half of the front taken away altogether may attract the occasional robin or wren to nest. A softwood boxes may be treated with water-based paints but apply any wood preservative only to the outside of the box, and not around the entrance hole. Whatever you use, make sure the box dries thoroughly before putting it up. Fix the box two to five metres up a tree or wall and it is best facing between North and South-East, thus avoiding strong sunlight and the wettest winds. Tilt the box forward slightly so that any driving rain will hit the roof and bounce clear. |
| Make your bird feeders | |
Recipe 1 120g shredded beef suet 30g porridge oats 30g chopped bacon 30g grated cheese Recipe 2 120g shredded beef suet 60g wild bird seed or chopped peanuts (not roasted or salted) 30g breadcrumbs |
|
Method (1) Place a suitable mixing container in hot water (not boiling). (2) Add the suet and stir until it has melted. (3) Add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. (4) Block the hole in the coconut around the string with plasticine or similar. (5) Ensure the coconut is on a firm surface and pour in the fat mix. (6) Leave coconut until fat mix has solidified. Caution Take care when mixing and pouring hot fat. Ensure the mould is on a firm surface to avoid spillage. Children should be supervised at all times. |
The hardest job using coconuts is cutting them in half, but any suitable container can be used  |