February 13th 2020

Sustainability Sunday: National Nest Box week

Sustainability Sunday: National Nest Box week

You can always tell when Spring is on the way. The evenings gradually become lighter, we stop wearing about 20 layers just to head to the shops and mornings begin to be filled with the chatter of birds.

We have an incredibly diverse selection of garden and farmland birds here at the farm; on any given day you’ll see red kites flying high over the falls, yellow hammer, skylarks and woodpeckers ducking in and out of the trees and hedgerows, and various finches, wrens and robins pottering happily around on the lawn. Spring will also see the annual return of nesting swallows in our barns!

Despite this, did you know that bird populations, in particular, farmland birds, are declining rapidly? Last year, a DEFRA report highlighted a 56% decline in farmland birds from 1970 – 2018 (Wild Birds Populations in the UK) which is devastatingly huge! This is due to a number of mitigating factors, including tidier landscapes, modern building designs limiting naturally available nesting sites, and manicured lawns and verges minimising potential insect food for their young chicks.

This is where you come in! This week is National Nest Box Week! To help our feathered friends, why not install a bird box, giving them a safe haven to raise their young? There’s a huge range of boxes available and the RSPB have some great advice if you’re considering setting one up. (RSPB, Nest box) Whether you live in the city, suburbia or the countryside, you’ll be able to find one that works for you!

If you’re feeling particularly Blue Peter, you could have a go at making your own (RSPB, How to set up nest box), or you could try upcycling. Our Gift of Nature boxes were created with just this in mind. If you’ve got creative and done this already, we’d love to see some pictures!!

Don’t forget that nest boxes are not just for birds! Bees and small mammals, like the endangered dormouse, also love to use an artificial nesting site. The People’s Trust for Endangered Species work tirelessly to support dormouse conservation projects. Did you know that YOU may already be helping to support these epic projects EVERY time you buy a bottle of our Raspberry gin because of our partnership with the PTES?