Give a bird a home

THIS half-term try learning a new skill and provide a home for birds to nest in your garden.

Join the countryside team on Wednesday, 19 February at the Axe Estuary Wetlands classroom between 10am and 1pm, and build a nest box from one of our easy-to-use kits – available for a range of common garden birds from blue tits to sparrows and starlings.

The Axe Estuary Wetlands officer and the countryside rangers will help you build your nest box and advise you on where to place it for the best results. You will be helping the conservation effort by encouraging biodiversity in your local area, and you will get hours of pleasure from watching the breeding birds which are attracted to your garden.  

This activity is suitable for all ages, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Cost: from £7.50 per box made. All the equipment will be provided. Tea, coffee and squash will be available.

After the session, take time to explore the beautiful Axe Estuary Wetlands while you’re there.  Wetlands officer, Fraser Rush, gives some tips on what to look out for during your visit. He said: “Mid-winter is the time when the birds of Wetlands hunker down and concentrate on simply surviving until the spring.  Migratory species have all either left or arrived and we can expect little change in numbers now until the beginning of March.

"The large numbers of Shelduck which are a common sight at the Wetlands at this time have all recently returned from their annual trip to the sandbanks off the north coast of Germany, where they all go in the autumn to complete their moult. 

"Another very welcome new arrival, although in much smaller numbers, has been a few over-wintering Cetti’s Warblers.  This little brown bird with a big loud voice used to breed at the Axe Estuary Wetlands until the cold winter of 2010/11 when they were all wiped out.  It’s exciting that a few have decided to spend this winter with us as, hopefully, they will stay to breed in the spring and a population of this uncommon species might once again become established at the Axe Estuary.”

Axe Estuary Wetlands is between Colyford and Seaton – free parking at the Wetlands car park through Seaton Cemetery. Follow the signs to the classroom. Places are limited, so please book in advance by calling the East Devon District Council Countryside team on 01395 517557 or email Countryside@eastdevon.gov.uk