Ian's small boxes

Over the festive period Jim was kind enough to build me ten Tree Sparrow nest boxes for a site in Cropwell Butler. Whilst waiting for the snow to melt I treated them and the other morning I spent a pleasant, sunny, if not cool and windy morning putting them up.

The Grove is an estate on the outskirts of the village and has an excellent mix of grassland and native hedgerows with some mature trees and younger plantations, there is also a decent sized pond. Happily I have seen and heard Tree Sparrows here on many occasions over the years I have lived in Cropwell Butler, so let's hope they take to the boxes, and even if they don't I'm sure something else will, and as some of you know, nest records are of particular interest to me.

Sightings from the day include 2 Little Owls, Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers and a mixed flock of Linnet, Goldfinch and Lesser Redpoll. The pond hosted over 100 Widgeon, 30 Teal, 4 Mallard, 15 Coot, 10 Moorhen and 55 Greylag Geese. Fieldfare and Redwing were also present in good numbers.

I am very grateful to Mr and Mrs Samworth for granting me access to this beautiful estate and to Jim for the boxes. Roll on Spring, it'll be really exciting to record the progress of the nests and hopefully ring the chicks.

Ian