The Friends have installed 104 Woodcrete nestboxes suitable for Blue Tits, Great Tits, Marsh Tits and Nuthatches, plus 10 Woodcrete Robin boxes within the wood.

This has been possible due to grants from the Len Pick Trust. We have chosen woodcrete boxes as these are very durable and long lasting as well as being squirrel and Greater Spotted Woodpecker proof.

Although woodland provides a great food source for baby birds, the trees are not ideal for nests. All the Tit family choose to nest in holes, which healthy trees do not have! Whilst Blackbirds and Sparrows are happy with hedgerows, the Tits like our safe boxes. This need for boxes has been proven by our success rate, with 98% occupied in the first year, 58% in the second and 69% in the third. Most of the boxes contain Blue Tits, but we have had 2 Nuthatch nests, and several Great Tits.

The Robin boxes appear to be less well used, but these have only been up for one year yet, so it is still early days.

Many of the boxes have purposely been sited along path edges so members of the public can enjoy the birds, and Spring is a great time of year to do this.

Photograph curtsey of The Telegraph.