Nest Box Making
Build a bird a home!
Recent reports from the RSPB show that numbers of Swift, along
with some of our other favourite garden birds, have experienced a
major decline due to a loss of nest sites.
Over the last ten years swift numbers have declined by a
staggering 47% due to a loss of nest sites through building
improvement or demolition. To add to this, climate change is also
affecting garden and woodland birds causing them to lay their eggs
much earlier than 40 years ago. This earlier
breeding has led to certain species, such as the Pied Flycatcher,
to be out of sync with their major food source,
caterpillars.
To help tackle this problem Nidderdale Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty (AONB) have organised a community nest box making
event at a nature reserve near Ripon, on Tuesday 25th
August from 10am to 12.30pm.
Colin Slator, AONB Ranger said, "making a nest box and putting
it up in your garden is an easy and fun way to help protect species
like Swift, Robin and Blue Tit. At the event everyone will have a
chance to make a box to take home and learn where and how to
install it. As well as nest boxes we will also
be making bird feeders to help our garden birds over the winter
months. If we all do just a little bit it really
can have a significant impact".
If you would like to come along to the event and make
your own nest box please contact the AONB Office on 01423 712950 to
book your place. A charge of £3 per person/nest box will be
made to cover the costs of materials.