Most birds begin nesting as early as late March in the UK. Along with plants and pollinators, garden birds are important to a healthy eco-system and are critical to the wider ecology. So now the nesting season has arrived, it’s time for nature lovers to hang up a bird house, not only to help provide safe shelter for migratory and resident birds to lay their eggs and bring up their chicks, but also to support biodiversity and the wider environment.
Eggologic is a new line of innovative, wall-mounted garden pods that create a “vertical eco-solution”, bringing plants, birds and pollinators into every living space, whilst helping to create healthier ecosystems; plant pods for flowers, herbs or vines; and wildlife pods including ‘nestors’ for cavity-nesting birds and ‘hive’ pods designed to shelter solitary bees.
Meet Eggologic’s Nestor Pod – the ultimate bird nesting sanctuary
Eggologic’s award-winning Nester pod has been created with the guidance of ornithologists to provide a safe, climate-optimized enclosure for cavity-nesting bird species critical to both a healthy garden and broader ecology in both rural and urban environments.
Perfect for small to medium-sized nesters such as tits, flycatchers, sparrows and redstarts, the Nester pod’s unique design includes a permanent, high-strength outer shell made from 100% recycled resin to deter predators and weather. Inside this is a replaceable inner shell made from 100% natural wood fibre providing thermal insulation while also helping to regulate humidity – avoiding the mildew, rot and pest issues that plague wood nesting boxes. After the nesting season is complete and the fledglings have left, the old Nester pod insert and nesting material can be removed and placed in the compost pile to season.
Birdhouse placement is also very important to ensure they will be safe from predators such as cats and larger birds. The right positioning will also help to attract birds to choose your nester and its placement also creates a fascinating focal point to observe birds as they forage and travel back and forth with nesting materials and later in the season with food to feed their hungry hatchlings.
Eggologic’s top tips for nest pod placement
Direction: Face your nesting pods between north and northeast, as this will provide protection from direct sunlight, wind and rain. Always select a spot that doesn’t have constant direct sunlight, as the pod may become too hot for the eggs or hatchlings inside. For this reason, avoid placing a nest pod in a south-facing position or on a south-facing wall, unless the location is completely shaded and a known nesting area.
Environment: Whether mounting on a tree or a wall, place the Nester pod within close proximity to natural cover such as pod-shading tree branches and established shrubs. However, it is important to make sure that there are no branches or other physical obstructions directly in front of the Nester pod entrance. Birds prefer a direct flight path to the entrance of their nesting site, because once their eggs hatch, they will be feeding the hatchlings constantly and will require the fastest possible way to and from their nesting pod.
Height: For the Nester pod, we recommend a minimum placement height of 2 meters from the ground, but you may see even better results by placing the pod 3-4 meters from the ground.
Choosing where you site nest boxes in your garden is important both to the likelihood of the box being used by birds, and the health and welfare of the birds once they’ve chosen to nest in it.
Entry Size: Cavity-nesting birds can be very choosy when it comes to selecting a nesting space, and one of the key features they evaluate is the size of the entry. Eggologic’s Nester also comes with a pack of four different sized Entry Guards (28/32/38/43mm) meaning you can select the entry size to suit which species you would prefer to attract, whilst providing security to smaller garden birds.
When to place a bird nest box
There is never a bad time to place nesting pods in your garden, but many bird species will begin actively looking for a nest site during winter. Although this is several months before most birds begin nest building, many will spend a month or more investigating a suitable nest site before deciding, so having your Nester in place early helps make sure they are considered.
If the pod hasn’t been used after two seasons, consider moving it to a new location.
Eggologic’s range includes:
- Nester Pod (£33) – Co-developed with ornithologists to support cavity-nesting birds, this Award-winning next pod will help you to learn about habitats, species and the joy of spotting garden visitors.
- Nester insert 4-pack (£27) – Made of 100% pressed nature wood-fiber, each Nester insert is designed to last for one nesting season. After the nesting season is complete, simply remove the nester and place it in your composter or garden to naturally recycle.
- Planter Pod (£27) – Thoughtfully designed with a removable insert for easy planting this growing pod can be used both inside and out, and provides an optimalenvironment for a wide array of plants including flowers and small edible herbs
- Trellis Pod (£23) – Ideal for trailing plants and climbers and can even double as a winter bird-feeder or nest-building station.
- Hive Pod (£33) – A safe, dry home for solitary bees – a simple way for nature-lovers to support vital pollinators and appreciate biodiversity from their own wall.
