Boxes

 

After Storm Eunice on Friday, I spent much of the weekend checking the various peregrine boxes in London and the other Barn/Little Owl/Kestrel boxes placed elsewhere.

In particular the Tower nest box I made 9 years ago at Battersea Power Station for the peregrines, was very exposed to the exceptionally strong winds 50 metres up, however good to see that it rode out the storms, particularly Eunice.

The Battersea Falcon, now at least 11 years old spent at least 5 hours in the box on Friday sheltering, the box faces northerly, at times even out of the wind in there, she was getting buffeted with her tail especially taking on a life of its own.

Checking other peregrine boxes from distance showed them to be sound which was obviously good news, thereafter I checked all the other boxes, one a Barn Owl pole box was in a very exposed position and if any would have succumbed, this would be the one. It was facing east and the back face of the box would have taken the full force of those winds, however as with the others it was sound. I always overdue the bolts on them, in this case it was probably a good thing.

I also made and placed another Kestrel pole box with the help of my good friends Jake and Ben, they did most of the work which made life a lot easier.

Hopefully the Grey Squirrels will not adopt it, being on a pole and not in a tree, I hope it will deter them from stuffing it full of bloody leaves and grass. I have seen a Kestrel in the area often so fingers crossed.

Peregrine breeding season is nearly on us, the earliest egg laying I have had has been March 6th, I suspect with global warming and our barmy seasons, it won’t be to long before they start laying in February.