The Bowes Museum Blog

The Woodland Path at The Bowes Museum should be completed by Christmas. Other works will then begin, including putting up new bird boxes. However it’s not quite as simple as just putting up a few in some appropriate locations, as we have to take account of other creatures in the woodland areas. The photograph of the bird box shows one originally made for small species of birds that only need a  tiny access hole. This one has been modified by a woodpecker that has enlarged the hole so it can steal any newly laid eggs! So any new boxes will have to have a metal sheet protecting the front, though woodpeckers have also been known to make holes in other parts of the box. Covering the whole box in mesh is apparently effective but it can be a climbing aid for squirrels – and we have plenty of those.

I’m hoping we can do a survey to record all the wildlife we have in the park, and maybe produce a small booklet about them. At present a bat survey is being carried out which should tell us if we have any and what type they are. It would be nice to add some bat boxes – armour plated of course.

If you know of any species of birds or animals in the park (other than grey squirrels, as I know we have lots of them) please let us know.

Close up of Bird box modified by woodpecker