Location, Location, Location.

Lovely photos TT and the boxes are wonderful I'm no expert on Robins nesting places we have a large hollow log resting in a bush behind a shed it has a hole in the top our robin uses it as its nesting site we have a piece of wood at one end which we can remove to clean it out at the end of the season . Our sons robin always builds in a flower pot in his shed and takes no notice of all the comings and goings , I hope you get your lodger :o))

I agree,lovely photo's,Terra,and I hope your detached houses are soon occupied,.Freehold,I presume,and no stamp duty? Lol. I have heard Bird boxes are best facing South West,or West,so as to avoid being too hot..Lots of little hatching ones just get burnt,before they are strong enough to fledge,which is so sad,and preventable..You got a great bargain there,and maybe you will get other bird Squatters,which will be just as nice :o) x

Lovely blog TT. My robin box is attached to our side fence which has ivy growing up it and shrubs in front of it to give some cover and has proved to be a desirable residence in past years. Now cleaned out and ready for robin, that is if the blackbird doesn't stake its claim first as it did 2 years ago!

Thanks everyone for your useful comments ... they are all helpful for my decisions about ideal locations.

The fixing device may be strong enough (unless there are several fat chicks in it). I use that type of expanding plastic hole liner for pictures. As long as you drill a tight fitting hole for it to go into before putting the screw in. If you aren't sure, get an elbow support.
Nice photos - I like the camo gate.

Thanks Wylie .. I had fun with the camo gate .. I kept adding more colours .. please explain what you mean by an elbow support. I fear the fixing device provided will not be enough if a strong animal or bird knocks or rocks the box.

great photos , boxes look nice but you have to be quick deciding where as the birds are looking out for nest site now ... even though too early to nest ....

My robins all they do is chase each other around the garden ... but I do feed so I suppose a impostor trying to get a meal.
Monty Don had one nesting last year in the potting shed.

Gg

Thank you Gnarly ... yes I must get busy this week.

Try shelf bracket or shelf braces - those things that go under a shelf to hold it up. One of those should support the house.

Oh, okay, thanks Wylie ..
I have some spare shelf brackets in my shed. :o)

I hope the robin does move into one of your new boxes ... or a wren. I sometimes see one of those in my garden here. Aren't they tiny !
You've had nice blue skies. It's been very misty here today.
And what a pretty little gate :o) x

Wrens and robins tend to like to be nesting quite low down usually. Do you not have a nice dense shrub you could wedge a nesting box in ?
I like the photo of the robin on the fence.

Lovely blog TT, super pictures - as ever, your little boxes are really cute, agree camoflauged by a shrub or ivy in the suggested direction would be a good position, your pretty gate blends well with your garden so another great job :o)

Lovely photos Terra xxx
The birds here like to nest near hedges and shrubs but also where the cats and magpies can't reach
The bluetits nest is at the top of a block pillar, the top block has enough room under the slab to squeeze through (their Idea not mine!)
Behind is a hawthorn hedge, perfect for the fledglings

Robin nested in the greenhouse one year, thats near the hedge too .....

Thanks Hywel ...
I meant to write a blog about painting the gate, but didn't get the opportunity.
Thank you Paul ...
my main worry with the bird boxes is a cat knocking them down when they are full of nestlings ...
Hi Neena ...
thanks ... yes, I'll try to choose places for the boxes which are protected by thick shrub foliage ...
Hello Pam ...
In my gardens, it is difficult to find cat-proof places which are not in full sun ... I'll do my best. x x x

Lovely nest blog TT and camoflage looks good a good idea too. Lots of good ideas on how to protect nests from garden predators.

Thanks Dorjac ...
I've just painted the bird-box roofs, and then I started a tour of the end of my back garden, looking for nest box sites ...

...but it was hilarious because the whole time, the robin followed me closely ... sometimes only 6 inches from my feet ... in the end I was asking him where he thought would be the best places for his boxes !

I came back indoors to get my camera, and the robin was waiting for me, and then we continued our garden tour !

The robin is so tame, that I found myself prioritising on nesting areas which were less likely to be damaged by cats.

Lovely to have a Robin that tame ... our neighbours have a large Bay tree by the shared fence to our garden ... within it are Sparrows, Blackbirds and Robins ... they all come out of it to feed on the fat balls I have hung nearby. I think your Robin would love to have a home tucked within an evergreen shrub or hedge if you can manage that for him. :o)

Thanks Shirley ...
I've selected a couple of evergreen shrubs where I reckon I can fix boxes, safe from cats. My gardens have an amazing amount of sparrows, so it will be interesting to see if they use the bird-boxes, or if the robin is bold enough to claim possession ! :o)

Hi Avis ..
ha ha ... yes you are very right ... indoors, I talk to my dogs and my budgie, and then in the garden I chat to the robin. Very early, when I open the back door, the robin is singing away up in the trees, and I say 'Good Morning, Robin' :o) x

Hi Terra

well would you believe it I have won a bird box , hopefully arriving this week so I will have to be busy sorting out the best spot as well.

Hi Gnarly ... well done on winning the bird box ...
How did you win it ? Gardening knowledge ?
Playing the piano ? Running 100 metres ?
Please let me know where you site the box ...

I was looking for garden fertiliser and a well known company asked if you sigh up for special offers etc put you in a prize draw , I like special offers and low and behold I won the bird box , yes will do

Well done .. proves at least some of these competitions are genuine !

Beautiful, uplifting photos.

The first picture of the robin is a lovely one and I think your heucheras and skimmias look so pretty.

Stay warm and cosy.

I think the tip about the robins liking to be down rather high up in a tree. We have scads of them in Vermont and they seem to nest in the honeysuckle, and lilac bushes. Maybe the cats don't like getting tangled. Have never done boxes for them, but use the blue bird boxes. Keep us posted on where and when your pet robin lands. PS loved the pics and your descriptions.

Thank you Chris ...
The robin is singing even as I type. He starts before dawn and is still in full voice after dark ... up the very top of the tree ... doesn't seem to notice the cold weather !

Thanks Wells ...
That's a good thought about not putting the nest boxes too high. I've now finished painting the box roofs, so I'll find places for them well-hidden in bushes, away from possible interference from cats. I'll write another blog when I have updates. I'm glad you like my descriptions ... I work hard to find suitable words and captions !

Hi Terra

"Well done .. proves at least some of these competitions are genuine !"

It arrived today in a envelope and its made out of cardboard !!!! (not amused)

I will take a photo of in the flat and put together !! over the weekend. It would make a good template but thats all its fit for , I have Jays Magpies ravens and jackdaws that would tear it to pieces if the rain dont get it first !!!

Gg

Gnarly ..
Cardboard ... oh that's ridiculous ...
please put a comment under here when you've uploaded photos so I don't miss them. Thanks.

you bet I will lol , doesn't give me much confidence in any products they sell does it !!!

ha'p'orth of tar , my mum would say !!!

Hi, Terra and CTC, well captured i really love the birds you have post here Clear shots , if the birds can talk, they will surely give you a hug , Terra ,beautiful color of the bird houses , and the paint on you gate was really different , awesome :-))) xxx

Hi Junna ..
weather is milder for this weekend, so I'm hoping to put up the new bird boxes. I have added more paint to the bird box roofs. :o) x x x

Hi Terra

Just added the photos , I am still getting used to windows 10 so on two threads.

I will get the hang of it soon

Gg

Hi Gnarly .. I've just found the pics... amazing !

I cant stop laughing .... who thought of that....

I was going to email them back but not worth the effort.

But as I already mentioned would make a good template if using wood

Yes ... might be useful as a template ...

Great blog TT, only one problem... the camo gate... I couldn't find it ^_-

Lovely photos, as usual TT looking forward to your next instalment, we have several boxes around the garden, but, because of the cat population we never get any takers..?

Hi Dotty ...
I think you've now found the second instalment ...
... I hope the places I've chosen for the boxes will be safe from predators. A pity your boxes are too near to cats. :o(

That's great,TT, putting up a couple of nesting boxes for the Robins & Wrens! I'd love to do something like that on our balcony I have a small nest box that was given to me a few years ago but I've always looked on it as a toy nest box! Perhaps I could fix it up on the balcony wall & watch to see if any potential guest takes a look at it!

At the start of the nesting season I often see Sparrows coming into our balcony, they pick up old spiders' web as well as pulling out the coconut fibre threads from the liners in my hanging baskets!

Thanks Balcony ...
good luck with a bird box on your balcony. Sounds a great idea, provided you can protect it from cats and other predators. Might be a desirable residence for sparrows or other little birds !

Yes, I can imagine birds taking the coconut fibre threads ... In the springtime, I see sparrows selecting Truffle's moulted hairs, one at a time from the dog run, till the bird's beaks are full with white hairs to line their nests.