Unusual nest site for Blue tit
May 2012. An RSPB member stumbled across a blue tit that chose to build its nest in a peculiar place – an emergency life jacket.
May 2012. An RSPB member stumbled across a blue tit that chose to build its nest in a peculiar place – an emergency life jacket.
Luckily, Julia Keddie from Richmond in Surrey, wasn’t in need of the equipment at the time. She said: “I was taking a walk around Kew Gardens with a friend when I noticed a flurry of activity near to the life jacket equipment and went to investigate. After a while I noticed a blue tit going in and out of a small opening on the front and realised it must be nesting there and raising its family.
“Fingers crossed nobody will fall into the lake during the rest of their nesting period; if they do there’ll be some very unhappy birds.”
Ian Hayward from the RSPB’s Wildlife Enquiries team, said: “It may look like an odd place to set up home, but there’s probably a nice nest-sized cavity in there. Birds make their nests in all sorts of weird and wonderful places. They see a safe, secure and cozy spot to lay eggs and raise chicks and don’t care what it looks like or what the neighbours might think.
“We get sent lots of pictures from members who’ve spotted unusual nesting habits. In the past we’ve had birds nesting in traffic lights, bins, hanging baskets and even an ash tray outside a pub, but that's the most unusual one I’ve seen this year.”
“Fingers crossed nobody will fall into the lake during the rest of their nesting period; if they do there’ll be some very unhappy birds.”
Ian Hayward from the RSPB’s Wildlife Enquiries team, said: “It may look like an odd place to set up home, but there’s probably a nice nest-sized cavity in there. Birds make their nests in all sorts of weird and wonderful places. They see a safe, secure and cozy spot to lay eggs and raise chicks and don’t care what it looks like or what the neighbours might think.
“We get sent lots of pictures from members who’ve spotted unusual nesting habits. In the past we’ve had birds nesting in traffic lights, bins, hanging baskets and even an ash tray outside a pub, but that's the most unusual one I’ve seen this year.”
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