Neil: I am inspired.... too many reptiles on your bird boxes... and did I see bees swarming in the last picture.. ??
Birds are funny creatures... a pair of house swallow wanted to nest in a plastic box in the top shelf of my balcony, but did not want to in a special nest box I provided.... now they are ignoring both ... but I am going to try you kind-a wooden box.. lets see if they like it... Usha di ====== On Tue, Mar 27, 2012 at 1:11 PM, Neil Soares <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > Thought this might be interesting : > > > > > In 2007 I undertook this pilot study on my forested property at > Shahapur, 100 kms north of Bombay. ****** > > ** ** > > https://picasaweb.google.com/113756149687515321536?feat=email**** > > ** ** > > Ten nesting boxes were constructed in August 2007 and were put up > in-situ in December 2007 [Please see Nesting Boxes 1 in the link].**** > > In photograph 2 – **** > > - the top left was meant for Mynas**** > > - the top middle was for Woodpeckers**** > > - the top right for Barn Owls**** > > - the boxes in the lower row were for cavity nesters / > hole-nesting birds.**** > > ** ** > > The study has carried on to the present day.**** > > My observations: [Please see Nesting Boxes 2 in the link].**** > > - Most of the openings of the nesting-boxes were enlarged either > by squirrels or other rodents [ photograph 1]**** > > - Perches on the nesting boxes had to be removed in some to > discourage squirrel activity [photograph 1].**** > > - Marauding tribals trashed many of the boxes [photograph 2] > either out of curiosity or to get at the squirrel drey’s inside [photograph > 5].**** > > - Trashed nesting boxes were at times repaired and reused > [photograph > 3]**** > > - Only one nesting box was used for the purpose for which they > were meant – a pair of Oriental Magpie-robins managed 2 broods in one year > [2009] and that too in a trashed box [photograph 4].**** > > - Many other animals used the boxes [photographs 5 -14].**** > > At present only one nesting-box remains. As the experiment was a > relative failure, I have terminated it.**** > > With regards,**** > > Neil Soares.**** > > ** ** > P.S. – My thanks to Jayesh Timbadia for creating this link and also for > assisting me in this study > > -- Usha di ===========
