I told the volunteers for the Wales nest box trip that I would decide on Thursday, depending on the weather forecast, which day we would go at the weekend. It seemed an easy choice as all day Thursday the Met office were saying mid-Wales was going to be dry on Saturday and wet on Sunday. I was pleased to see this forecast was still true on Friday morning having let everyone know we would go on Saturday. Unfortunately by Friday night they changed the forecast but the plan was in place and Nick, Alex, Duncan and I went on Saturday morning.
We had a good journey through to the site and set off round the boxes in light drizzle with 18 new/refurbished boxes. I wondered how the west facing wood had fared in the westerly gales that we had been battered with over the winter but was glad to see that damage seemed minimal. The task was completed by early afternoon having used 17 of the 18 boxes we took.
I was glad that we found only 2 unfledged chicks from last summer, so a good season was had which hopefully will mean plenty of birds returning this spring. Alex had one box containing a couple of wood mice, other than that the usual inhabitants for the spring trip were there, namely slugs and fleas! Spring seemed later in the valley, as usual, and the only summer migrants were a few Chiffchaffs calling. Also around/overhead were Nuthatch, Raven and Fieldfares along with a few Buzzards and Red Kites.
Kev
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