Get Birding Puffing Chests & Building Nests
Mar 5, 2026
Toussaint Douglass, comedian and pigeon advocate, champions city pigeons with humour and history. Katie Nethercote, RSPB wildlife adviser, gives practical nest box and placement tips. Lucy Lapwing, naturalist on the Isle of Bute, shares patch‑based observations. They discuss courtship displays, nestbox practicalities, coastal patch life, pigeons’ quirks, and signs of nesting in short vivid scenes.
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Garden Owl Boxes Hosted Kestrels Once
- Lucy Lapwing recounts having owl boxes for five years that sometimes host kestrels, jackdaws or squirrels.
- She describes a kestrel nesting two years ago that brought up chicks and hunted mice in her garden.
Place Nest Boxes With Species Needs In Mind
- Put nest boxes to replace lost natural cavities and create long-term nesting sites for birds.
- Katie Nethercote explains placement matters: some species need vegetation cover, others (swifts) need very high, clear entrances and angle for flight access.
Expect Patience and Build The Ecosystem Around Boxes
- Make or buy nest boxes but prioritise correct placement and surrounding habitat over instant occupancy.
- Katie Nethercote warns boxes can take years to be used and recommends building insect-rich gardens and keeping feeders away from boxes.
