Wild about Frome

A column by Frome Wild Bunch

It’s bird box time!

Hi, this is Jane from the Wild Bunch.

At last, the evenings are drawing out and, with snowdrops and crocuses in bloom, it is beginning to feel like spring. We are close to St Valentine’s Day – traditionally the date when birds are thought to choose their mate. Many say this is earlier than the mating season begins in England, as March is the month most garden birds start nest building, although the tits are often setting up home this month.

This means it is a great time to think about bird boxes. If you already have one in your garden, it is a good idea to give it a clean. There may be insects and parasites in old nest material, so if you can reach it safely, fetch it down, wash it out with very hot water and allow it to dry before rehanging. If you have not yet got a nest box, maybe now is the time to buy one – or even make it yourself. The bird charity RSPB has instructions on its website, including advice on the size of box and the shape of the entry hole for different breeds.

Another option is to request a Wild Bunch bird box building workshop on your street. We hope to run a few this spring, so if interested, just email your request to fromewildbunch@gmail.com with your name, contact details and address. If we come to your neighbourhood, we will bring wooden bird box kits plus the tools needed for you and your neighbours to assemble the boxes for you to take home.

If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter, find out dates, topics and location of future gatherings, or book a place for a Wild Bunch meeting, visit www.bit.ly/frome-wild-bunch.

We look forward to seeing you – perhaps at our next gathering on Thursday 20th February, at 1.30pm in Frome Town Hall, when the topic is creating wet habitats for frogs, toads and newts.

Pictured: Beechwood Avenue – Bird Box building. (Picture Credit: Mark Brookes)