Uninvited guests move in to my nesting box

There was a fair covering of foliage around this one box but imagine my surprise when on closer investigation I found Willie Wasp and his gang had taken over the box. It was taken to pieces and not only did the nest completely fill the box but as you can see the wasps had also closed up the hole. One could say this time the B was a Wasp.

From: Keith Archer, The Wayside, Hurworth-on-Tees.

From: Noel Loft, Fulford, York.

Like your reader, Gweneth Atkinson (Country Week, May 22) I too wondered why no birds had used our nesting box and on closer examination also found a nest of bumble bees inside.

I also discovered a nest in the border of our garden. I have also seen a lot in the countryside while out walking, I am sure it was recently said bumble bees were getting scarce. It would be interesting to know how and why the sudden upsurge if there is one in bumble bees and is it common for them to use nesting boxes meant for birds?

From Brian Waddington, Dukes Wharf, Terry Avenue, York.

I was interested in Sarah Todd's article on the Crows' Court (May 22). When I was a Boy Scout, many years ago, in order to pass one of our badges it was required among other things that we were able to identify six common birds (and 12 common trees).

We were taught that rooks and crows were superficially very similar in size and appearance but that the former usually moved around in groups whereas crows were a solitary bird.

Accordingly if we saw a few together they were rooks, one on its own was a crow! I am sure this was very simplistic teaching and there are much easier ways of distinguishing the two. But if the information is basically correct it would seem that the gathering would be rooks, not crows, hence the term "a parliament of rooks".

On the other hand, if crows do not flock, why have a collective name "a murder of crows"? It is, of course, quite possible that the word "crows" is loosely used to refer to either of the birds.

I'm sure one of your ornithological readers can put me right on the matter.

From: Pamela Frankland, Lodge Farm, Dunnington.

I refer to Sarah Todd's column and her experience with hens (Country Week, May 29)

Everything comes full circle! Hens always have had cannibal tendencies, especially in confined spaces, hen runs, deep litter and the like.

Remember hens' spectacles and de-beaking? That was why battery hens came into being. We are back to free range with its age-old problems – foxes, badgers, and dogs. Diseases such as Newcastles were another factor for indoors poultry.

Perhaps the "pecking" order is relevant here, for hens bully others, usually pecking-out the rear end, which like egg breaking, is difficult to stop.

Hens and pullets need plenty to occupy them. So see they have plenty of straw, food, grit and fresh water at all times, as well as distractions. It all sounds so easy and lovely to have your own eggs, but it may be cheaper to buy from a farm or shop and leave poultry keeping to the experts.

CW 12/6/10