Tarvin Woodland Bird Box Survey 2025

In Tarvin's Woodland, there are 53 Postcrete (squirrel-proof) birdboxes. These have varying structures and holes of different sizes, to suit the different types of bird that nest in our woodland. Each Autumn, they are cleaned out after a busy season, so that they are ready for use next year.

Up to this year, we have been able to report really good occupancy rates – last year, it was 100%! However, we don't have to tell anyone that this year has been vastly different – in so many ways. It was really wet to begin with and then we had the hottest, dryest Summer that we have had in a long time (perhaps ever?) Insect populations plummeted and the lack of insects meant a lack of food for baby birds. Of the boxes that contained nests this year, we found a higher proportion of dead birds and unhatched eggs than in previous years, as a result of the lack of food at the right time. Providing the boxes for nesting birds is only a part of the answer – nature has to play its part as well if we are to see families of baby birds reared each year.

The results of the survey are:

Great tit boxes with nests: 25
Blue tit boxes with nests: 17
Nuthatch boxes with nests: 2
Empty (unused) boxes: 9
Total boxes serviced: 53