Linacre Nestboxes 2025- A First Visit

 This week, I've been up to Linacre a couple of times to have a first look at the nestboxes. 

In total, 13 nests were found, with the first eggs, all tits, being found on 15th. They included two clutches of 12 eggs!! Several other clutches were still being laid. The owl boxes were also checked, but, unfortunately, this year, none were in use by owls. 2 of the boxes showed signs of use by Mandarin Ducks.

All nests will be recorded, and submitted to the BTO's Nest Record Scheme.

Starling Nest Update - 19th May 2020

It seems like quite a while ago since I last blogged about the Starling nest that is in a box on the side of my house, and that I am monitoring for the BTO's Nesting Neighbours scheme. In my last post (here) 4 chicks, from 5 eggs, had just hatched (Monday 27th April). Since then, the adults have done a fantastic job and have raised all 4 chicks to the point of fledging. 2 fledged yesterday, and the last two fledged today. Before fledging I ringed all four chicks, under BTO license, so hopefully I'll get a report of at least one of them.

4 chicks ready to fledge

Starlings Ringed

It's been a few weeks since I last blogged about the Starling nest on my house (see here). Since then, the 5 chicks have done really well, and today I ringed them for the BTO Ringing Scheme. Details of the nest will also be entered onto the BTO's Nestbox Challenge website.

5 chicks in the nestbox

Starling chick

Coal Aston Nestboxes - 2nd May 2019

It is just over 2 weeks since my last visit to the nestboxes in Coal Aston (see here), so I went up this afternoon to see how they had progressed.

Last visit there were 6 active nests, and today there were still 6 active nests! This time, however, 5 of the 6 nests were being actively incubated by Great Tits (4) and a Nuthatch (1). The 6th nest contained 8 warm eggs, but there was no sign of the sitting bird. Details of today's visit will be recorded for the BTO's Nest Record Scheme.

Incubating Nuthatch

8 eggs - great arrangement!

Linacre Nestboxes - Update 28th April 2019

It's now been 2 weeks since my last check of the nestboxes at Linacre, so I went down this morning with 2 other members of Sorby Breck Ringing Group (thanks Sarah and Robin), to see how things had progressed. We found a total of 25 active nests (24 with eggs, and 1 with the first chicks of 2019; 8 Great Tits). Unfortunately, they weren't quite big enough to ring. The other nests were a mixture of Blue and Great Tits and contained between 5 and an impressive 14 eggs. A minimum of 2, possibly 3 Pied Flycatchers were also present and singing. The Mallard nest I found on a wall at the start of the month had, unfortunately, but not surprisingly, been predated. A Nuthatch was seen taking food into a natural cavity, possibly feeding a sitting bird? The results of today's visit will be entered into the BTO's Nest Record Scheme.

Nest with 14 eggs

Whilst on site, we also recorded a couple of Canada Geese (still quite uncommon for Linacre), a pair of Raven flying over, Siskin (heard in the conifer woodlands by the top reservoir), 2 Buzzards and a new micro moth species Adela reaumurella.

Adela reaumurella

Linacre Nestboxes and Summer Migrants - 14th April 2019

Luke and I were down at Linacre this morning to have the first check of the nestboxes for the BTO's Nest Record Scheme. We went around all of the "tit" boxes and found 12 with eggs in them already, including one with a Great Tit sitting, and a further 20 with the beginnings of nests in them. All the eggs were tit eggs, and all but one of the nests were tit nests. One nest looked a little different with grass in it, so fingers crossed for this one. Unfortunately, there weren't any signs of Nuthatches using the boxes... yet. The owl boxes will be checked later in the week.

Tit nest with 12 eggs

Along with these nests, we also inadvertently flushed a female Mallard off a nest that was built on top of a 1m high wall (the first one I've ever found at Linacre), and also had a pair of very annoyed Chiffchaffs alarm calling and wing flicking at us as we walked past them. The Moorhen's nest that we found last weekend was still active, with a bird sitting on it, whilst a tiny, newly-fledged Moorhen chick was by the boardwalk on the top reservoir. Last, but by no means least, was a Blackbird carrying nesting material.

Mallard nest

Other birds noted this morning were: 4 Bramblings still around the top reservoir, Greylag Geese (birds heard honking, but not seen, 1st record of 2019), Teal (a pair on the top reservoir), Siskin and Lesser Redpoll (heard by the top reservoir), Blackcap (4+ singing), Willow Warbler (2 singing) and a very nice mixed flock of Swallow (c.40), Sand Martins (c.20) and House Martins (4+) feeding on the top reservoir, and coming in to roost on the dam wall (1st Linacre records of 2019).

Coal Aston Nests - 13th April 2019

I was out ringing this morning with 3 other members of Sorby Breck Ring Group at a local farm in Coal Aston. We had a steady morning, with 12 birds of 6 species, including our first ever Chiffchaff record from this site. Birds ringed were (new/retrap): Nuthatch 0/2, Dunnock 1/2, Blue Tit 1/1, Great Tit 3/0, Robin 1/0 and Chiffchaff 1/0. All the retraps were birds that we had ringed at this site previously.

Whilst there, we had our first check of the nestboxes for 2019, and were very pleasantly surprised to find 6 out of the 7 boxes were occupied (up from 2 last year). 1 box contained a Nuthatch nest, whilst the other 5 nests were all tit nests (1 with a 1/2 built nest, 1 with 5 eggs, 1 with 10 eggs, 1 with 8 eggs and 1 with 2 eggs). All eggs were cold, so incubation hasn't yet started.

Nuthatch nest

Tit nest, with 10 eggs and lots of horse hair

Details of all the nests recorded, will be sent to the BTO's Nest Record Scheme.

Linacre Nestboxes

This week is the BTO's National Nestbox Week, so I decided to go down to Linacre to check on our nestboxes, and make sure that they are all as they were at the end of last year's breeding season. In total, we have 90 boxes in and around Linacre; 84 tit boxes, 5 "owl" boxes and a "Little Owl" box, so I was on site for 3 hours.

Most of the boxes were fine, but several had lost their lids over the winter, and one was found laying on the floor. Thankfully, I'd taken my repair kit with me, so all the boxes are now back in place ready for the birds, and this year's BTO's Nest Recording Scheme.

Whilst on site I recorded a few birds, including my first Red Kite since 2014 (!), the first 2019 Linacre record of Canada Geese (a pair) and a pair of Stock Dove inspecting one of the nest boxes!!

Canada Geese

Nestbox Update - 19th May 2018

I was busy at the weekend catching up with the nestboxes for the BTO's Nest Record Scheme.

On Saturday I was down at Linacre first thing with Luke and Sarah from Sorby Breck Ringing Group. We went around the site and checked all the boxes, with first chicks of 2018 starting to appear.

Tit chicks

It was great to see the Blue and Great Tits, but even more exciting, was our first record of Nuthatch hatching chicks in a box. The Pied Flycatcher nest was also still active, with a female bird sitting tight on the eggs. We checked the Tawny Owl box, and found just one chick remaining, the other having presumably been eaten by its bigger sibling!!

Tawny Owl

After Linacre we all popped across to the church site in Chesterfield where we were lucky enough to ring a brood of Nuthatches and a brood of Great Tits. There was also another Great Tit with young too small to ring, and, unfortunately, 2 broods of dead chicks.

Nuthatch chicks

More Nests

As well as the nestboxes at Linacre I also monitor and record another 12 boxes at 2 other sites in North East Derbyshire. Both sites have 6 boxes, and the results from these boxes are also sent off to the BTO's Nest Record Scheme.

The first site, a farm in Coal Aston, where we also do some mist netting was checked on 23rd. Unfortunately, this site was very similar to Linacre, with just 3 of the 6 boxes in use. One box had a fully lined nest, with 2 eggs, whilst the other 2 boxes had the start of a nest (N1) and a slightly more advanced nest (N3) in it. I'll check them again next week, to see what, if anything, has developed.

The other site, a churchyard in Chesterfield, was checked yesterday, and, thankfully, had 4 active nests with eggs in them and another nest that had been built by a Nuthatch. This nest didn't have any eggs.... yet! If it does get used, it will be the first time one of these boxes has been used by this species here. Again, I'll give it a few weeks and then pop back to see what's happening.

Nuthatch nest

Tit nest

Starling Nest 2018 - the first eggs

The weather this Spring has been very stop and go, with temperatures below average and lots of rain. As a result, the Starlings that nest in a box on the side of my house have also been slow to start breeding.

Last year the nest was started on 26th March, but this year, the first signs of a nest didn't come until 6th April.

6th April 2018

The first eggs (3) were then found on 16th April. Working backwards, the first egg must have been laid on 14th April (10 days later than last year). 

16th April 2018

Hopefully, a full clutch of 5 eggs will be laid again this year, and then incubated for around 12 days, hatching around the 30th April.

As always, the details of this nest will be forwarded to the BTO's Nest Record Scheme. 

All Gone!

It's been 3 weeks since I last blogged about the Starling nest in the nestbox on my house, so here's an update.

The 4 chicks hatched on 4th June, and were ringed, by me, on 10th June.

Starling pullus

3 of the young survived to fledging, bringing the total to 8 from this box this year. They were still in the box on 19th June, including this adventurous individual.

19th June 2017

The birds fledged on 20th June (Thanks Lydia for the sightings), and spent a short while in the garden, before flying off to who knows where. hopefully, the rings attached will be read somewhere, and I'll get an update on their whereabouts.

20th June 2017

Now that the nesting season is over for this box, I'll update the BTO's Nestbox Challenge website. See you all in 2018!!

Starlings Ringed

The Starling chicks in the box on the side of my house have continued to grow very nicely over the last week and a half since they hatched on 19th April. I got some "C" rings from Ray, my trainer, today and ringed the chicks.

Starling chick (just before ringing)

As you can see, this chick, 1 of 5 ringed, has begun to grow its flight feathers, and, all being well, should fledge, along with its 4 siblings, in about a week. The ring numbers will be forwarded to the BTO, so that, if the chicks are re sighted, the details of their lives can be recorded, and will add to our knowledge of this "Red listed" species. Details of the nest will also be added to the BTO's Nestbox Challenge.

Starling Nest Update - 5 Chicks

Last time I blogged about the Starling nest in my nestbox was the 8th April, when I noted incubation had begun. Since then, the nest has gone from strength to strength, and we now have 5 healthy chicks, that can be heard cheeping very loudly every time the adult birds return with  a mouthful of food. Here are a couple of pictures. The first shows a full clutch of 5 eggs on the 8th April.

8th April 2017

The chicks hatched on the 19th April, after 11 days of incubation, and the second photo, taken yesterday (23rd April), shows the 5 healthy chicks.

23rd April

I'll keep an eye on them over the next few weeks, and ring the chicks as soon as they're ready. The details of the nest developments have been added to the BTO's Nestbox Challenge Scheme.

Incubation's Begun

The Starling's in the nestbox have continued their nesting attempt this week, and appear to have started incubating the eggs.

Male Starling on nest

Last year (see Starling Nest 2016 labels for details), the eggs hatched after 12 days incubation, so I'll leave well alone until then, and then see what's happening at the end of April.

Details of today's visit will now to added to the BTO's Nestbox Challenge website.

Starlings' First egg.

The Starlings have been building a nest on the side of my house again (see labels Starling Nest 2017 for details).

Male Starling

When I got back from work this evening I spotted a male Starling in the Rowan tree in the garden, and decided to have a check on the box. I was very happy to see.... the first egg of 2017!

First egg

It's always good to see the birds doing well, and it's also interesting to compare this year's nest with the last 2 years. Last year, the first egg was laid on 7th April, and the first egg in 2015 came on 14th April. Hopefully, this pair will go on to lay another 4 eggs, like they did last year, and, who knows, perhaps a second clutch?

I'll add the details of today's visit to the BTO's Nestbox Challenge website, and update the blog again when the clutch is complete, most likely at the weekend.

Starling Nest 2017- the season begins

The Starlings that nest in the box on the side of my house have been busy again this week, and have started to build their nest. This is what it looked like on Sunday afternoon.

26th March 2017

As you can see, the base of the nest is just beginning to be built. As in the previous years, I'll be recording the details of any nesting attempts to the BTO via their Nestbox Challenge Scheme, and will hopefully ring the chicks.

For details of previous year's breeding efforts, click of links entitled Starling Nest 2015 and Starling Nest 2016.

Starling Nest Update

The Starling nestbox on my house has been used for a second time this year, and when I came home this evening I could hear something, so I had a quick look and saw.... 3 new chicks!

3 chicks (I think)

I say 3 chicks. I can definitely see 2 gapes and I'm pretty sure there's a third body underneath the other 2. Anyway, there were definitely 3 eggs on 26th May when this photo was taken.

26th May 2016

These new arrivals will be added to the BTO's Nestbox Challenge website, and further developments will be  added to the blog.

Starling box - a second brood!!

According to the books, Starlings can sometimes have 2 broods in a year. So far, the box on the side of my house has only ever produced 1 brood a year, but not any longer.

Shortly after the 1st brood fledged, the same , or another, new male Starling was back around the box singing and attempting to attract a female. He didn't seem to be having any luck, despite having built the foundations for a new nest. Here's what the box looked like on 21st May.

A new nest - 21st May 2016

Undeterred, he carried on singing and defending the box. Today, when I got back from work, I saw a female bird sticking her head out of the box. She flew out, so I ran upstairs to check what was happening, and this is what I saw.... a new egg!!

First egg - 24th May

As you can see, the nest has been built up since the 21st, and a new brood has begun. I'll check back in a few days time, and begin another record  for the BTO's Nestbox Challenge.

Coal Aston Nestbox- First chicks

I popped across to the farm in Coal Aston after school on Thursday to check on the progress of the nest boxes there. Last time I visited in April (see here), there were 3 out of 5 boxes with active nests in them. Tonight's visit showed that these 3 were still active, with eggs in 1 and day old chicks in the other two boxes.

The box with the eggs looks like it may have been abandoned, as there were cold and uncovered. The chicks, however, all looked very healthy, so I'm keeping everything crossed for some nice, warm settled weather over the nest few weeks to allow both broods to grow and prosper. It's hard to say which species the birds are when they are so young, blind and naked, but my best guess is Blue Tit. Time will tell if I'm right or not!

Details of all 3 nests will be forwarded to the BTO's Nest Record Scheme.