Adopt a Bird Box Scheme

The Windrush Path at Standlake has excellent foraging habitat for small passerine birds and raptors alike, with hedgerows containing berries running alongside much of the path and surrounding agricultural land and floodplain meadows for hunting small mammals. However, the trees that run alongside the path are generally young and thin, with few holes present for cavity nesting birds present due to their small size.

 

The Lower Windrush Valley Project are therefore installing bird boxes along this section of the Windrush Path. These will be a mix of high quality 32mm hole and open fronted boxes, to suit different bird species that use the nature reserve. Little owl boxes will also be installed in the area to provide nesting opportunities to this declining species.

32mm hole nest box

Open fronted nest box

We are inviting people in or around the LWVP area to ‘adopt’ the bird boxes, making a direct improvement to the habitats along the Windrush Path and support local bird populations. This is are a great way to directly support local bird populations in the area, and you will see the results by coming to see chicks that are nesting in the boxes being ringed as part of British Trust of Ornithology’s monitoring scheme.

 

Adoption of a passerine box costs £35. As part of your adoption, you will receive the following

• Adoption certificate
• Map of the boxes
• Standlake Common Nature Reserve and Mosaic Trail leaflets
• Information on your bird box, what is likely to nest in the box and about the birds at Standlake Common Nature Reserve
• Invitation to one of two chick ringing sessions at the site, to be held in May (dates TBC and COVID-19 dependent)
• Report on the results of the box ringing at the end of the year

 Please email lwvp@oxfordshire.gov.uk if you would like to adopt a box or would like more information about the scheme.

 

Please note that the boxes will be adopted on a first come-first served basis, so contact us soon if you would like to get involved!

Volunteer Chris Hughes putting up a bird box

Many thanks to Linear Fisheries for supporting this project.