Ruud Kleinpaste: Birds' nests on your property

<p><span>It’s breeding time for birds!</span> </p> <p><span>As a bird nut (and a registered bird bander) I have a nest box for little owls. Further down in the Quarry, my Bird mate Peter and I are looking after other owl boxes and monitoring their success. So far one female on four white eggs.</span> </p> <p><em>Photo / Supplied</em></p> <p><span>These introduced little owls came from Europe and are well established in the South Island, especially around Christchurch. I love hearing them call at night – it’s so special!</span> </p> <p><span>And although you may not realise it: there are likely some other bird species making nests and breeding in dense bushes in your garden</span> </p> <p><span>I have noticed so far: 2 blackbird nests, 2 Song thrushes. I’m still looking for a Dunnock nest (hedge sparrows)... Tricky!! And, at neighbours, a swallow nest as well.</span> </p> <p><span>Nests under cover. Made from clay, filled with feathers… and underneath an enormous heap of poo – yes it can be seriously messy.</span> </p> <p><span>When the chicks are big enough, I’ll band them with some “bling”.</span> </p> <p><span>I also suspect a sneaky bellbird (which has become very, very quiet all of a sudden) but haven’t found its nest yet.</span> </p> <p><span>Silvereyes will always be at my place (I feed them in winter, so they are used to my garden; the juveniles are real little punks).</span> </p> <p><em>Silvereye nestlings. Photo / Supplied</em></p> <p><span>Code of Conduct around nests:</span> </p> <p><span>If you do stumble across a nest in some shrubbery (while pruning, for instance), have a quick look to see if there are any eggs or young birds in it (It could be an old nest from last year!); if so: back out and conceal the nest as much as possible. Put branches back in their position asap; that gives them privacy from preying eyes of predators (including harriers!).</span> </p> <p><span>Most bird species can cope with a bit of disturbance – depends on how far in the brood-cycle they are. Usually when they have young