Time to remove old nests???

[Jaxx]

Having just returned from sunny St Lucia and found it rather chilly here, I thought it was time to clean out our nest boxes. Luckily I switched the bluetit nestcam on first and found that a single bluetit, with an earwig companion, is now using the box (with old nest in place) as a snug roost.

I don't know whether other boxes round the garden also have overnight guests, so I've put my clean-up plans on hold. Am I right to do that and, if so, when is the best time to remove this year's nests and prepare the boxes for viewing by next year's potential tenants?

[Jandy]

Have you tried putting up any of those roosting pockets, which are quite cheap, and provide shelter for birds in cold weather? With a few of those in place, your bluetit might move out of the nestbox, giving you a chance to clean it. Or you could wait until he flies off to feed, and clean it out quickly, and maybe put in a cosy lining of hay or something for him to return to - just an idea!

I have always understood that Sept/Oct is the best time to clean out nestboxes.

[Jaxx]

Thanks Jandy. I have got roosting pockets and several other nest boxes so a quick clean out on a nice sunny day is probably the best solution.

I'm glad to know I haven't left it too late for this year - I was so pleased to find we had a visitor that I just didn't want to risk scaring him away.

If you don't mind another question.... Should I aim to have the box spruced up again and completely empty in time for nest building next year?

[Jandy]

I would say once you have cleaned the nestbox out you could then forget about it till spring. I remember someone saying that they prepared their nestbox with nesting material, and when a pair of birds moved in, they painstakingly removed all the "furnishing", obviously thinking it wasn't to their taste!