........I posted on the 25th March that I had not seen or heard my local Willow Tits this year- Soon after that, following an afternoon on the chainsaw and the fact that I was in the process of moving 1 of my nest boxes, I decided to cram it full of sawdust and relocate it to a patch of boggy Willow and Hazel woodland. This evening I went for a walk to take a look at it. On approach I could see no sawdust visible inside the hole and as I got even closer a bird flew out and scolded me from a nearby branch- Yes a Willow Tit! I beat a quick retreat feeling immensely pleased and privileged to have provided a helping hand to this declining, and for me somewhat enigmatic, breeding species.
It was just a standard nest box filled with sawdust located in a patch of woodland with springs rising in it creating damp conditions underfoot. A long shot that paid off in a short space of time. Good luck guys you've made my day.
