“Having to cope with a harsh winter like the one we’ve just had, it is easy to forget our feathered friends. Putting out food and providing nesting sites for the birds that populate our sites, and indeed your gardens at home, will go a long way to ensuring the survival of these species. Even the hardiest of Robins won’t turn his beak up at an easy snack and Blue Tits and Great Tits are likely visitors to most gardens. So, as they soon be looking for nesting sites, ready to lay eggs in April/May, now is a good time to give them a helping hand.
As a company, Forest Holidays endeavours to provide a sense of the natural environment we are surrounded by, so it seemed a good idea to get the kids who come to stay involved in building bird boxes and teaching them something about the types of birds they could expect to inhabit them. Building and siting a bird box is not as straightforward as you might expect. The position should be about 1.5-2m up with clear access and sight from a good tree, with small branches for the young to flit about on. The hole should be between 25-32mm to prevent predators stealing their eggs, and drainage holes should be drilled in the bottom.
Not only does this give the kids a sense of achievement and a memento of their stay, but also an education into the wider natural world around them. Keeping activities seasonal with a natural twist is something we strive to achieve here, and using the debris that the forest throws up is a great way for the kids to explore, not to mention a brilliant way of recycling.
Now, what to do in our glorious Spring? Bird feeders anyone? Blooming marvellous idea.”
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