Build a bird box part 1

With the new scouting year almost upon us, try adding this activity to your plans this year. Here is the instruction sheet that has been used by the TRCA for many of the bird boxes around the Brampton area (including the ones on the side bar of this page). It is very simple to manufacture; as you can see it requires just one plank of 1" x 6" x 6" wood to make. Any of the sections can make a fair number of these in short order. At the White Tail Fun Day 2005, the Beavers in attendance made about 160 of these. There are a few tips that will make the work go easier. First, remember that one side should be hinged at the top (just use a nail on each side to do this). I've made quite a few of these and it was only recently that it was pointed out to me that there had to be a way to clean them out after it was finished being used for the season. While its great to make a box, the learning doesn't stop there. Going out and choosing a place to put it up, and then watching it over the season really adds to the lesson being passed on! Second, if possible use screws. Using a drill is far faster than a hammer, and makes corrections easy. If this isn't possible nails work fine, but you might wish to pre-drill holes to make assembly simpler for the younger youth. As always its best to make a few yourself so that you'll be prepared when your Colony, Pack, Troop, or Company starts grabbing tools.

Stay tuned, for part 2. We'll cover different box sizes (dependant on the bird) and where to place them.

Yis

Bear