In a change of routine some of the Friends of Rawcliffe Meadows spent Valentine’s Day (14 February 2013), which is also the first day of National Nest Box Week putting up the 25 new nest boxes made by workers at Brunswick Organic Nursery and paid for by the grant from First TransPennine Express through the Forestry Commission. The copse where the nest boxes are placed already has a number of boxes but the site is regionally important for its tree sparrow population and it is likely that the boxes will soon be occupied by them and great tits. Tree sparrows nest in colonies, hence why so many boxes, and why so close together.

As well as 25 tree sparrow boxes the Green Grant has helped buy a ladder to assist in putting the boxes up, two stock dove nest boxes, twenty elm tree saplings and a GPS to record locations for monitoring.

Thanks to Judi, Helen, Ron and Mick for their efforts – we’re sure the tree sparrows will appreciate it.

A tree with five tree sparrow nest boxes – tree sparrows nest in colonies