I changed a waterside financial institution with a backyard shed containing a cover and a synthetic nest chamber in order that I might watch kingfishers inside their underground nest. All the undertaking took a month and led to some unbelievable kingfisher research. Click on right here to learn extra about these. I put in my cover in situ in February, lengthy earlier than the breeding season. Here is how I did it.
Step One: Replicating the design of a Kingfisher nesting chamber
Kingfishers dig an extended sloping tunnel into steep river banks with their lengthy beaks after which excavate a globe-shaped chamber at its finish the place the feminine lays her egg. The tunnel is sloped in order that when the nest turns into dirty, the waste can circulation out. I started by making a mould from a papier-mache balloon and a 5cm drainpipe to copy the chamber and tunnel. I positioned these inside a one-metre nesting field, angling the drainpipe in order that it sloped in the identical approach a pure kingfisher tunnel would. My mould was constructed from a combination of cement, sand, peat, PVA glue and nice tree roots to make it look as pure as attainable.
Papier mache balloons drying: a nest chamber will probably be moulded round one
Balloon and piping contained in the nest chamber
Step Two: Changing a backyard shed right into a cover and nest field
I altered the backyard shed in order that one wall sloped outwards to be wider on the high than the underside and glued a wire mesh, curved outwards, to copy the pure overhang of a riverbank. This was to forestall predators like stoats, rats or mink from having the ability to clamber up into the nest. I then took the complete shed aside and coated every wall with the identical combination of peat, tree roots, mud, glue and cement in order that the completed construction would mix in with its environment.
The shed partitions had been altered to forestall predators from climbing up. On the high a nice mesh curves outwards to copy the pure overhang of a riverbank
Ready for the mud coating to dry on the edges of the shed.
Step Three: Partitioning the inside
I then made three separate rooms on the within of the shed. One for myself to take a seat and {photograph} the motion from, one for the nesting chamber, and one for my CCTV gear in order that the cameras might maintain rolling while I used to be away.
Step 4: Inserting the cover and nest chamber in situ
It took three days to rebuild the cover on website. Then I coated the roof in previous turf.
Learn Extra:
The research I constructed from this cover led to this new unique portray:
https://www.robertefuller.com/this-painting-was-inspired-by-filming-kingfishers-underground/
And images I took of kingfishers courting from this cover led to a brand new assortment of work. See them right here:
https://www.robertefuller.com/my-collection-of-kingfisher-paintings/
Learn concerning the kingfisher behaviour I found while watching kingfishers inside the substitute nesting chamber and see the images right here:
https://www.robertefuller.com/when-kingfishers-disappear-underground-kingfisher-art-study/
Discover out why these lovely birds want our assist:
https://www.robertefuller.com/5-challenges-kingfishers-face-how-to-help-them/
