Love the birds this Valentines day at Eastham Country Park

Feb 3 2010 by Jade Wright, Birkenhead News

LOVE is in the air over at Eastham Country Park on Valentine’s Day, with a special bird box making workshop.

Find out more about birds and their nests, how to build a nest box and where to put it.

Follow the nest trail through the woods plus lots of art and craft activities. Suitable for all the family, the day runs from 11am-3pm.

If you want to make your own nest box at home, it’s worth bearing in mind that

natural nest holes don't come in 'standard' sizes.

Rather, it depends on the type of bird you want to attract.

The RSPB recommend 25 mm for coal tits, marsh tits and blue tits, 28 mm for great tits and tree sparrows and 32 mm for nuthatches and house sparrows.

A starling box needs to be 25-30% larger with an entrance 45 mm across.

If you remove the top half of the front panel, the same type of box could attract robins, pied wagtails or wrens to nest. Spotted flycatchers prefer an even shallower, open-fronted box.

Use a plank about 150 mm wide and 15 mm thick.

The inside of the box must be at least 100 mm square and the bottom of the entrance hole must be at least 125 mm from the floor. If it is less, young birds may be scooped out by cats.

Use galvanised nails or screws. The inside front surface should be rough - this will help the young birds to clamber up. A drainage hole in the base will also help to stop the box getting damp inside.

Hinge the lid with a strip of leather or rubber (an old piece of bicycle inner tube would do). Do not nail the lid down (because you will need to clean out the box in the autumn). Instead, use a catch to keep it closed.