A survey and maintenance report on bird boxes was written for Southwark Council and circulated by Jonathan Best, Ecology Officer.
The following parks were visited: Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park, Pasley Park, Victory Community Park, Salisbury Row Park, Surrey Square, Mint Street Park, Nursery Row Park, St Georges Churchyard and Cobourg Road Nature Area (Burgess Park).
The boxes were inspected and all debris cleaned out. The boxes were then plotted onto maps.
Recommendations by the reporting company Complete Ecology
Despite the lower occupancy rate this year (60% down from 90% in 2019) it is clear that many woodcrete hole fronted nest boxes do get used. It is therefore still recommended that they should be installed in trees in parks and open spaces.
Open fronted boxes appear to be much less successful in attracting birds and much less effective in conserving breeding birds. Wooden ones are also less effective than woodcrete ones as they suffer from predation.
The bat boxes were all found to be in place still, but they were not checked for usage. Bats are protected by law and so a licence is required to open any box which may be in use by bats. Bats do not build nests (unlike birds) so no debris will build up, meaning that they do not need to be cleared out annually.