According to Shakespeare the 14th February is when birds traditionally start to pair up for the breeding season.

The BTO launched National Nest Box week in 1997 and it runs from 14th February every year, encouraging people to put up nest boxes in their gardens and local areas. National Nest Box week gives everyone the chance to contribute to conservation efforts in the UK. For more information visit the BTO National Nest Box Week website.

Here at VHF we believe National Nest Box week is a great way to encourage people to do their bit for wildlife, by simply putting up a nest box or two!  As a human race we have changed our natural environment to the detriment of other species. Intentionally or unintentionally we have destroyed so much habitat we should be ashamed of ourselves as a race! Whether it is tidying our gardens and removing a favourite bush or improving the facia and guttering around the house these unintentional activities can seriously reduce nest sites.

Here at VHF we obviously have a big garden to play with and in the last 24 months we have erected over 40 Sparrow boxes for our Tree Sparrow colonies. Nicholas monitors their nests each summer and believes we have had about an 85% occupancy rate. It has been great for me when travelling down the farm to see our Tree Sparrow colony each year, by a number of simple factors. Habitat, feeding and nesting sites.

Our website has a great information page on nest boxes if like many people you are unsure of where to place a nest box. I put up two boxes in my garden last year, with one being occupied. There is still plenty of time for nest boxes to go up, it doesn’t have to be this week for them to be successful.