Death of a nest box colony

In a woodland just outside New Inn, near Pontypool was a nest box colony. In its heyday the fortunes of the birds that bred in these wooden boxes were documented annually in the Gwent Bird Report. Sadly the colony is no more, I know not why, all that remains of what once supported the likes of redstart and pied flycatcher are rotting remnants.

There were certainly some very good signs on the woodland floor that something was a stirring. Dogs mercury and bluebell were pushing forth and this queen Bombus terrestris was searching for an underground niche in which to build its nest. This widespread bumblebee is one of the earliest to appear from February onwards, this one was displaying a number of ticks.