Public-spirited volunteer installs new nest boxes in Buckingham

Sharp-eyed residents may have noticed three new nest boxes gracing the Willow trees in Bourton Park.

The boxes have been built and installed by Buckingham wildlife volunteer Michael Hunt, who has worked for years alongside the Railway Walk Conservation group and is an active member of the Buckingham Tree Wardens.

The new boxes, which carry individual reference numbers, will provide additional nesting sites for wild birds such as blue tits, great tits and nuthatches, contributing to bird conservation.

All year-round volunteers such as Michael keep an eye on the birds at Railway Walk – monitoring them to find out which birds visit, which are resident, and which breed on the site.

As well as revealing the health of the local bird population, the data also contributes to national bird recording schemes and helps the site to be managed for conservation.

Every year, hundreds of volunteers across the UK submit observations of nests they have monitored, and this data is then used to assess the impact of changes in the environment, such as habitat loss and global warming, on the number of fledglings birds can rear.

Chair of Buckingham Town Council's Environment Committee, Warren Whyte, said: “We are very grateful for the public spiritedness of Michael Hunt in making these wonderful nest boxes and making a really positive contribution to the town council’s climate action plan to protect and enhance our native species and habitats”

For tips on putting up your own bird box, visit the British Trust for Ornithology.