In order to boost the diversity of birds and mammals on our site, we have bought a wide range of nest and hibernation boxes. Our initial plan was to simply order the boxes ready-made off the internet. However, we later decided to partner with a fantastic local support group CardiShed run by Men2Men. https://www.cardished.cymru/why. Men often become isolated, especially if their mental health isn’t wonderful. Society has constantly given the message that men shouldn’t show any weakness, which means they are often reluctant to talk about their problems. The CardiShed is a fully equipped workshop space available for the local community to access. The people using the Shed come with their own ideas or projects to build or skills that they would like to learn. But in this safe space with shared practical activites, they can open up, build relationships and get support. The space is primarily men-only, but they also run Women’s DIY courses and support women to lead their own workshops too.
Er mwyn hybu amrywiaeth yr adar a’r mamaliaid ar ein safle, rydym wedi prynu dewis eang o flychau nythu a gaeafgysgu. Ein cynllun cychwynnol oedd archebu’r blychau parod oddi ar y we. Fodd bynnag, yn ddiweddarach fe wnaethom benderfynu partneru â grŵp cymorth lleol gwych CardiShed a redir gan Men2Men. https://www.cardished.cymru/pam. Mae dynion yn aml yn mynd yn ynysig, yn enwedig os nad yw eu hiechyd meddwl yn wych. Mae cymdeithas wedi rhoi’r neges yn gyson na ddylai dynion ddangos unrhyw wendid, sy’n golygu eu bod yn aml yn amharod i siarad am eu problemau. Mae’r CardiShed yn weithdy llawn offer sydd ar gael i’r gymuned leol gael mynediad iddo. Mae’r bobl sy’n defnyddio’r Sied yn dod â’u syniadau neu brosiectau eu hunain i’w hadeiladu, neu sgiliau yr hoffent eu dysgu. Ond yn y gofod diogel hwn gyda gweithgareddau ymarferol a rennir, gallant agor i fyny, adeiladu perthnasoedd a chael cefnogaeth. Dynion-yn-unig yw’r safle yn bennaf, ond maen nhw hefyd yn cynnal cyrsiau DIY Merched ac yn cefnogi menywod i arwain eu gweithdai eu hunain hefyd.
The money that we paid them will help to fund the vital mental health support work and practical skill sharing that they offer. We felt that spending our Grant money locally would further our aims of building a resilient and well-connected community here in Cardigan. This money has got twice (if not three times) the value that it would have if we’d bought factory-made items shipped from the other side of the UK.
Bydd yr arian y gwnaethom ei dalu iddynt yn helpu i ariannu’r gwaith cymorth iechyd meddwl hanfodol a rhannu sgiliau ymarferol y maent yn eu cynnig. Roeddem yn teimlo y byddai gwario ein harian Grant yn lleol yn hybu ein nodau o adeiladu cymuned wydn a chysylltiadau da yma yn Aberteifi. Mae’r arian hwn wedi cael dwywaith (os nad tair gwaith) y gwerth a fyddai ganddo pe baem wedi prynu eitemau ffatri wedi’u cludo o ochr arall y DU.
The workers and volunteers have built:
9 x bird boxes of varying sizes to suit smaller birds with the cutting plans and instructions available from the RSPB.
2 x Barn Owl nest boxes to the specification of the Barn Owl Trust who gave us advice and feedback on the best places to install the boxes on our site.
1 x Kestrel nest box based on the RSPB specifications
2 x Burford Bat roost boxes also from the RSPB instructions
1 x Hedgehog hibernation box from the British Hedgehog Preservation Society instructions
Mae’r gweithwyr a’r gwirfoddolwyr wedi adeiladu:
9 x blychau nythu o feintiau amrywiol yn addas i adar llai gyda’r cynlluniau torri a chyfarwyddiadau ar gael gan yr RSPB.
2 x blychau nythu Tylluan Wen i fanyleb Ymddiriedolaeth y Dylluan Wen a roddodd gyngor ac adborth i ni ar y lleoedd gorau i osod y blychau ar ein safle.
1 x blwch nythu Cudyll Coch yn seiliedig ar fanylebau’r RSPB
2 x blwch clwydo Ystlymmod hefyd o gyfarwyddiadau’r RSPB
1 x blwch gaeafgysgu Draenogod gan y British Hedgehog Preservation Society
Teras Adar y To ar ochr y toiled compost
Pete, who has made most of the boxes, came to our Celebration Day and gave a talk about the boxes and the CardiShed project. Several of his volunteers also came to the event to support him and to find out about where the boxes were going. We had a wonderfully positive response from the men, who showed a real interest in the Forest Garden and in ways that they can be practically involved in the future, including building the supports for some of our climbing fruit vines. Many of them had never heard about the Community Forest Garden until the Bird Box making project. Everyone involved learnt lots about the construction of bird boxes, the different sized holes for the different species. It generated conversations and sparked people’s interest in the birds around us and what we can do to help them.
Daeth Pete, sydd wedi gwneud y rhan fwyaf o’r blychau, i’n Diwrnod Dathlu a rhoi sgwrs am y blychau a’r prosiect CardiShed. Daeth nifer o’i wirfoddolwyr i’r digwyddiad hefyd i’w gefnogi ac i ddarganfod ble roedd y bocsys yn mynd. Cawsom ymateb hynod gadarnhaol gan y dynion, a ddangosodd ddiddordeb gwirioneddol yn yr Ardd Goedwig ac mewn ffyrdd y gallant gymryd rhan ymarferol yn y dyfodol, gan gynnwys adeiladu’r cynhalwyr ar gyfer rhai o’n gwinwydd ffrwythau dringo. Nid oedd llawer ohonynt erioed wedi clywed am yr Ardd Goedwig Gymunedol tan y prosiect gwneud Blychau Adar. Dysgodd pawb a gymerodd ran lawer am adeiladu blychau adar, y tyllau o wahanol faint ar gyfer y gwahanol rywogaethau. Fe ysgogodd sgyrsiau a sbardunodd ddiddordeb pobl yn yr adar o’n cwmpas a’r hyn y gallwn ei wneud i’w helpu.
How big does the hole need to be?
The entrance hole size depends on the species you hope to attract:
25 mm for blue, coal and marsh tits
28 mm for great tits, tree sparrows and pied flycatchers
32 mm for house sparrows and nuthatches
45 mm for starlings.
The small box with 100 mm high open front may attract robins or pied wagtails. A wren would need a 140 mm high front panel, while spotted flycatchers prefer a low 60 mm front to the box.
Choosing the location
Things to consider when choosing where to position your nestbox include:
Boxes for tits, sparrows or starlings should be fixed two to four metres up a tree or a wall.
Unless there are trees or buildings which shade the box during the day, face the box between north and east, thus avoiding strong sunlight and the wettest winds.
Make sure that the birds have a clear flight path to the nest without any clutter directly in front of the entrance. Tilt the box forward slightly so that any driving rain will hit the roof and bounce clear.
House sparrows and starlings will readily use nestboxes placed high up under the eaves. Since these birds nest in loose colonies, two or three can be sited spaced out on the same side of the house. Keep these away from areas where house martins normally nest.
Two boxes close together may be occupied by the same species if they are at the edge of adjoining territories and there is plenty of natural food. While this readily happens in the countryside, it is rare in gardens, where you normally can only expect one nesting pair of any one species. The exceptions to this are house and tree sparrows and house martins, which are colonial nesters. By putting up different boxes, several species can be attracted.
Attaching your nestbox
Before you put up your nestbox, remember to keep in mind the following:
Fixing your nestbox with nails may damage the tree. It is better to attach it either with a nylon bolt or with wire around the trunk or branch. Use a piece of hose or section of car tyre around the wire to prevent damage to the tree. Remember that trees grow in girth as well as height, and check the fixing every two or three years.
Open-fronted boxes for robins and wrens need to be low down, below 2m, well hidden in vegetation. Those for spotted flycatchers need to be 2-4m high, sheltered by vegetation but with a clear outlook. Woodpecker boxes need to be 3-5m high on a tree trunk with a clear flight path and away from disturbance.
Nestboxes are best put up during the autumn. Many birds will enter nestboxes during the autumn and winter, looking for a suitable place to roost or perhaps to feed. They often use the same boxes for nesting the following spring. Tits will not seriously investigate nesting sites until February or March.
Written by Raphaelle Fieldhouse