Birdbox Camera - End Of Feb Is It To Late?

[bizzylizzy]

We'd like to install a bird box camera for my elderly parents. We won't be able to get it installed until the end of February. Is this too late? We don't want to waste time and money installing the box if it's too late for birds to investigate the box as a suitable site for a nest.

I wondered if anyone had installed one this late.

Thank you.

[slinkycat]

I bought my parents one of these the Christmas before last and my Dad put it up around February last year. They didn't have any luck last year, but we're hoping that because it has been there for 12 months the birds will have had plenty of time to get used to it and hopefully will nest this spring.

Although having said that,they do seem to have a lodger, a coal tit that only seems interested in using it as a bed for the night!

[paddywak]

That's the trouble with bird boxes, I made and fixed up three around our garden six years ago. Two have been used every year since, the other has had a couple of visitors but no residents.

[Chipchopper]

Well, it is rather late but I think you may just wing it!
I've noticed the birds are checking out potential nesting sites, in between feeding sprees.
I would site the box well away from the feeding station and find a quiet area, inaccessible to predators, fairly sheltered and not exposed to mid day sun, ideally facing in a north-east aspect.

Good Luck
Chip

[rosyrussell]

If you are happy to spend a bit more, you can get a bird box camera that also comes with a separate bird feeder - http://www.gardenature.co.uk/pitched-roof-bird-box-bird-feeder-camera-systems. They can enjoy watching the birds feed during the spring summer and autumn, then the camera can be removed from the bird feeder and fitted back into the nest box for the next season.

[rosyrussell]

Oops, you will need to get rid of the full stop on my link for it to work: http://www.gardenature.co.uk/pitched-roof-bird-box-bird-feeder-camera-systems