peregrine nesting boxes

November has been very wet here in Nottinghamshire.

Unable to work outside on the waterlogged soil, I was driven inside to make peregrine nesting boxes. You know how it is.

Rob Hoare's peregrine in flight

Peregrines are always a thrill to see, and we were lucky enough to see four 'skyhunters' in total above Cordwood in September of this year. The peregrine is the world's fastest living thing: amazing and beautiful birds. They came close to calamity in the sixties due to the use of dieldrin chemicals on farms. Thankfully, their use was banned and slowly peregrine numbers have risen and these days they can be seen in our cities, nesting on tall buildings.

Now, I've used old scrap wood to make bird nesting boxes since childhood - but these beauties are on a different scale and made much easier with Roger's help and his enviable collection of power saws! A window into a man's world. 

finished nesting box

The boxes are made from exterior grade ply, they measure 800mm wide, 5000mmm high at the front and 600mm deep.  The box will have a layer of gravel.

The 'client' asked for the boxes to be creosoted - with 'no runs'! With the price of creosote, he needn't have worried about runs as I virtually applied each drop of the noxious liquid with a cotton bud. You know what I mean.

I'm not at liberty to say where the boxes will be sited as peregrine's eggs and young are still stolen. But, don't worry people: if either is successful you'll read it here first! And at length.

Thankfully lithe and athletic pal Andy will be climbing high to mount them with son Dave having volunteered to help.