Volunteers

14 friends of the wood gathered at Five-Ways with Dave the ranger and his van.

Ladders, nest boxes, gloves, hammers and nails were all provided

Good advice

Besides the 'health & safety' talk, Dave explained the how, why and wherefore of putting up nest boxes.

Two styles were provided - one for small bird such as blue tits and a larger box for robins, blackbirds and thrushes.

Off to Work

The first job was to prepare the boxes by hammering nails into them, ready for fixing to the trees.

Getting it just right was obviously important so supervision was necessary.

Up he goes

Peter was the first volunteer to climb the ladder.

Care was taken to select the best spot, out of direct sunlight and away from predators.

Not so sure

Cynthia came next - not so sure about the climb.

Moving on

Everyone helped carry items to the next location.

Next, please

Jan took a turn at scaling the heights, with Dave there to ensure her safety.

Young helper

Sam, the youngest helper, preferred to keep her feet on the ground.

She very kindly let Dave fix the nest box she'd prepared.

Last man up

John had to wait for a tree where the box could be installed by a left-hander.

Watching

Each climber had a good, supportive audience.

A good day

The sun shone throughout, making it a most enjoyable as well as worthwhile day.